ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Crown Prosecution Service

David Davis: To ask the Attorney-General in how many cases the Crown Prosecution Service has (a) given an individual immunity from prosecution and (b) sought a reduced sentence for an offender in return for co-operation and assistance to the prosecution since 2006.

Edward Garnier: holding answer 9 June 2011
	The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains information for its own internal management purposes on the number of agreements made under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (SOCPA) to provide immunity or seek a reduced sentence since 2006. The information should be treated with caution as it was intended for internal use only, and in the earlier years it may not have captured every agreement made under SOCPA. However, it gives a good indication of the general level of use of such agreements.
	The information available from the CPS is as follows:
	
		
			 SOCPA Section Number of Agreements 
			 Section 71 7 
			 Section 72 11 
			 Section 73 114 
			 Section 74 26

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts: Finance

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what criteria the Endowment Fund Panel 2011 will apply when deciding on the organisations which are to receive endowments;
	(2)  who is to sit on the Endowment Fund advisory panel;
	(3)  whether Michael Portillo is to be remunerated for his work as chair of the Endowment Fund panel.

Jeremy Hunt: The criteria to be applied by the Endowment Fund panel will be published later in the year, together with other material relevant to the applications process. The right hon. Michael Portillo will chair the advisory panel and not be remunerated for this work. Other members of the panel will be announced in September.

Arts: Licensing

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Coventry South of 27 June 2011, Official Report, column 480W, on performing arts: licensing, whether he plans to issue the public consultation on proposals related to live entertainment licensing before the summer adjournment.

Jeremy Hunt: I hope to issue the public consultation on proposals related to live entertainment by the end of this month.

BSkyB: News Corporation

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he plans to make a decision on News Corporation's acquisition of BSkyB before the summer adjournment; and if he will make an oral statement to the House on his decision on the date of its announcement.

Jeremy Hunt: The current consultation period concludes at midday on 8 July. After that, I will consider all the responses to that consultation and will make my decision once I have done so.

Football

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent assessment he has made of standards of governance in football.

Jeremy Hunt: I am on record as saying I believe there must be more independence and greater diversity in the football authorities' boards than there is now; much clearer evidence of joint working between those authorities; and that any obstacles to supporter involvement in their clubs should be removed.
	The inquiry by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee is looking into the wide range of football governance issues. I look forward to their report after which I will set out the Government's view in our subsequent response.

Mobile Phones: Radio Frequencies

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what consideration he has given to revising the licence fees for the 900 MHz spectrum for fourth generation mobile communications technology; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: Ofcom sets the level of the licence fees payable for this spectrum, following due process. Part of the Direction from Government to Ofcom in December 2010 was to liberalise this spectrum for 3G services and to revise the fees payable for spectrum at 900MHz and 1800MHz, following the combined auction of the 800MHz and 2.6GHz bands. Ofcom are obliged to take into account the value of the spectrum auctioned when setting the revised fees for the former bands.

Mobile Phones: Radio Frequencies

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what consideration he has given to stipulating coverage obligations across the nations and regions of the UK as part of the auction of fourth generation mobile communications spectrum;
	(2)  what timetable the Government has set for the auction of fourth generation mobile communications spectrum;
	(3)  what plans he has made to (a) reduce the likelihood of and (b) avoid any delay to the auction of fourth generation mobile communications spectrum arising from any legal challenge.

Edward Vaizey: The design and timing of the auction is a matter for Ofcom. Ofcom has consulted on this recently, proposing a 95% coverage obligation on one of the licences and are considering the responses calling for changes to their proposals. Ofcom is aiming to carry out an auction in the first half of 2012. If there is any legal challenge to the auction then that would be made to Ofcom. Given the benefits to the economy and to citizens and consumers, it is in the national interest that this spectrum is released as soon as possible. We would not welcome any further delay to the release of this spectrum. We would hope that any organisation that might consider legal action recognises the importance of carrying out the auction as soon as possible.

SCOTLAND

Access to Work Programme

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many employees with disabilities in his Department are receiving support from the Access to Work programme; and what proportion of the workforce of his Department this figure represents.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office does not employ staff directly. All its staff are on secondment from other public bodies, mainly the Ministry of Justice and the Scottish Government. Detailed information relating to staff who have declared disabilities is retained by the individual staff member's parent body.

WALES

Departmental Buildings

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent on (a) new furniture, (b) decoration and (c) structural alterations during the recent refurbishment of Gwydyr House.

David Jones: On (a), nothing was spent on new furniture. In terms of (b) and (c), in May 2010, on the change of Government, it was apparent that Gwydyr House, a grade 2* listed building, was in need of a significant amount of work to make it structurally sound. A large office on the ground floor was unusable and most of the staff who had previously occupied the room had been temporarily evacuated to another building, as the room was occupied by acro props that were supporting a first floor office. The acro props had been installed following advice from a structural engineer that the condition of the building was unsafe, and work was subsequently carried out over the summer of 2010 to complete all the structural repairs, including the installation of steel beams to stabilise the floor that was at risk of collapse. Work also took place to address various health and safety and DDA compliance issues within Gwydyr House. Work was carried out after consultation with English Heritage, given the listed status of the building. The overall cost was £185,000. Some redecoration was necessary as a consequence of the structural and other remedial work but it is not possible to separate out those costs as the redecoration was an integral part of much wider projects.

Departmental Freedom of Information

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many requests under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 her Department received from (a) hon. Members from each political party and (b) members of the public in each year since the Act's entry into force.

David Jones: The Wales Office does not record Freedom of Information Act requests in the format requested. It does, however, record how many requests were received in total, which is given in the following table. Data on requests before 2002-03, and for 2005-06 and 2006-07, are not held centrally and could be calculated only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Number 
			 2002-03 11 
			 2003-04 6 
			 2004-05 2 
			 2007-08 46 
			 2008-09 56 
			 2009-10 70 
			 2010-11 118

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Direct Selling

John Spellar: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, what assessment he has made of the availability of measures which would bar cold calls to telephones on the House of Commons part of the Parliamentary Estate.

John Thurso: Parliamentary ICT has investigated the options for reducing unsolicited sales and marketing telephone calls to lines on the Parliamentary Estate via the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) and Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS) and registers Members' telephone numbers with the TPS upon request. This helps to reduce cold calls to these numbers by companies either based in the UK or acting on behalf of companies based in the UK.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what regulations his Department introduced between 1 March 2011 and 31 May 2011; and what the estimated costs of implementation for those affected were in each case.

Henry Bellingham: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office introduced no regulations between 1 March 2011 and 31 May 2011 but it introduced the following Orders in Council:
	The Tunisia (Restrictive Measures) (Overseas Territories) Order 2011;
	The European Union (Definition of Treaties) (Partnership and Cooperation Agreement) (Republic of Indonesia) Order 2011;
	The European Union (Definition of Treaties) (Stabilisation and Association Agreement) (Republic of Serbia) Order 2011;
	The Libya (Restrictive Measures) (Overseas Territories) Order 2011;
	The Treaty of Lisbon (Changes in Terminology) Order 2011;
	The Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust Act (Dissolution) Order 2011;
	The Consular Fees Order 2011.
	The estimated cost of implementation for those affected was minimal. The Irish Sailors and Soldiers Land Trust Act (Dissolution) Order 2011 dissolved a charity, but the first five Orders were considered to have no impact on business, charities or voluntary bodies and a negligible impact on the public sector. These five Orders are all related to implementing international obligations of the United Kingdom. The Consular Fees Order 2011 amends the fees set by the Consular Fees Order 2010 (as amended). The detail of these changes was set out in a written ministerial statement on 22 March 2011, Official Report, columns 50-51WS.

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the name is of each regulatory measure revoked by his Department between 1 March and 31 May 2011; and what estimate he has made of the potential annual saving to those affected by each revocation.

Henry Bellingham: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not been responsible for the revocation of any regulatory measures between 1 March and 31 May 2011 but it revoked the following Orders in Council between 1 March and 31 May 2011:
	The Child Abduction and Custody (Parties to Conventions) (Amendment) Order 2011;
	The Consular Fees Order 2010 and Consular Fees (Amendment) Order 2010.
	The estimated potential annual saving resulting from the revocation of the Child Abduction and Custody (Parties to Conventions) (Amendment) Order 2011 is negligible because the Order was to do with substituting a schedule of States Parties to The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction 1980 in the Child Abduction and Custody (Parties to Conventions) Order 1986. The revocation of the Consular Fees Order 2010 and the Consular Fees (Amendment) Order 2010 will make minimal annual savings because the fees set out in these Orders have in general been replaced by the fees set out in the Consular Fees 2011 Order which envisaged no impact on the private or voluntary sectors. The changes to fees are set out in the Explanatory Note to the Consular Fees Order 2011.

Mongolia: EU External Relations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on ratification of the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement between Mongolia and the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The Government are supportive of the provisions in the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA) which has been concluded between the European Union and its member states, and Mongolia. However, the PCA has not yet been signed by the European Union or Mongolia. Ratification of the PCA can only take place in the UK (and other EU member states) once the agreement is signed by the EU and Mongolia. Signature by the EU can only take place once the European Council Decision on signing the agreement is agreed by all 27 member states.

National Security Council

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the remit is of the Emerging Powers Sub-Committee of the National Security Council.

William Hague: The Emerging Powers Sub-Committee of the National Security Council considers matters relating to the UK's relationship with emerging international powers.

Palestinians: Politics and Government

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to determine his policy on whether to support UN recognition of a Palestinian state; and whether he plans to make an oral statement before the summer adjournment.

Alistair Burt: The unprecedented changes of the Arab Spring make progress on the peace process more urgent than ever. President Obama has called for the parties to return to the table for negotiations based on 1967 borders with agreed swaps and security arrangements that protect Israel and respect Palestinian sovereignty. The UK backs this call.
	We urge all parties to seize this moment of opportunity and return as soon as possible to direct negotiations. As I told all sides during my visit to the region on 27 June to 1 July, we do not even know if there will be a resolution in September, or what it will look like—so we have not made any decisions. Instead we urge both sides to look towards the things that are necessary to get a negotiated settlement and to return to talks as soon as possible.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Deportation: Offenders

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her response is to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Sufi and Elmi vs the United Kingdom; and whether she plans to appeal.

Damian Green: The European Court of Human rights handed down judgment on 28 June 2011 in the case of Sufi and Elmi v. The United Kingdom (Applications nos. 8319/07 and 11449/07) which concerned safety of returning failed asylum seekers to Somalia.
	We are disappointed with the European Court's decision and are considering our legal position.
	This judgment does not mean that all Somalis are in need of international protection. We will continue to pursue the removal of those with no right to be in the UK, including the removal of Somali criminals who have committed a serious crime.

Entry Clearances: English Language

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many entry clearance applications were rejected as a result of the applicant having taken an English language test through a provider not approved by her Department in the latest period for which figures are available.

Damian Green: A breakdown of the number of rejections based on non-approved test providers is not available. Only the total number of rejections is available. Between November 2010 and May 2011 there have been 113 ‘Refusals—English language Requirement Not Met’ events recorded on the Proviso case working system.
	These data are based on management information. It is provisional and subject to change.

Helicopters: City of Westminster

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who owns the helicopter which hovered above Westminster on 30 June 2011; what authorisation was given for the flight; what the average noise level was at street level; and what the (a) purpose and (b) expected benefits were of the flight.

Theresa Villiers: I have been asked to reply.
	At least four helicopters—two Metropolitan Police Service helicopters and two providing outside broadcast facilities—were monitoring a demonstration in Westminster on 30 June. It is therefore difficult to ascertain the specific helicopter referred to.
	The noise level of helicopters at street level is not monitored. However, helicopter pilots are encouraged to minimise noise disturbance by maintaining the maximum altitude possible consistent with their air traffic control clearance, or their specific operational requirements, and the prevailing weather conditions.

Human Trafficking

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what persons and organisations are entitled to refer cases to the National Referral Mechanism for assessment of whether a person has been trafficked.

Damian Green: A formal referral into the National Referral Mechanism is made by a designated “first responder”. The following organisations are designated first responders:
	Local authorities
	Police
	UK Border Agency
	Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA)
	Eaves Housing for Women POPPY project
	TARA project
	Migrant Help
	Kalayaan
	Gangmasters Licensing Agency
	Medaille Trust
	Salvation Army
	Barnardos
	NSPCC

Human Trafficking

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will announce the Government's policy on human trafficking prior to the summer adjournment.

Damian Green: The Government intend to publish its strategy on human trafficking prior to the summer recess.

Human Trafficking

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) shortest, (b) longest and (c) average length of time was taken to reach (i) a reasonable grounds decision and (ii) a conclusive decision on a referral to the National Referral Mechanism of a person claiming to be trafficked in the most recently available six month period.

Damian Green: For cases referred between 1 July 2010 and 31 December 2010 the shortest time taken to reach a reasonable grounds decision was one working day and the longest time was 119 working days. The median length of time taken to reach a reasonable grounds decision was nine working days for cases referred and concluded between 1 July 2010 and 31 December 2010.
	For cases where a recovery and reflection period commenced between 1 July 2010 and 31 December 2010 the shortest time taken to reach a conclusive decision was one calendar day and the longest time was 141 calendar days. The median length of time taken to reach a conclusive decision was 63 calendar days for cases where a recovery and reflection period commenced and was concluded between 1 July 2010 and 31 December 2010.
	The time taken for National Referral Mechanism decisions depend on a variety of factors including the timeframe for the potential victim to be able to talk about their experience and the amount of evidence that is available at the point the case is referred by the first responder.

National Public Order Intelligence Unit

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on the disclosure to a criminal defence of information acquired as a result of the policing of protests involving criminal activity by the National Public Order Intelligence Unit.

Crispin Blunt: I have been asked to reply.
	It would be inappropriate for me to comment on individual cases. The Government's policy on disclosure in criminal proceedings is that investigators, prosecutors and defendants should adhere rigorously to the requirements of the disclosure laws (notably the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996, as amended, and its accompanying codes of practice), upon which fair and efficient trials are founded. In January 2011, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) announced that it would carry out a review of the work conducted by the National Domestic Extremism Units. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (‘IPCC’) is carrying-out a separate independent investigation into disclosure issues around a number of specific cases. The Director of Public Prosecutions has also commissioned a separate independent review of the CPS decisions on a specific case. The Government will consider very carefully any recommendations which may emerge from these reviews for changes to the disclosure laws.

Foreign Nationals: Prisoners

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 16 June 2011, Official Report, columns 919-22W, on foreign nationals: prisoners, how many foreign national prisoners immediately returned to their country of origin after being released from custody after serving sentences for (a) rape, (b) other sexual offences and (c) violence against the person in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many foreign national offenders released from custody after serving sentences for (a) rape, (b) other sexual offences and (c) violence against the person offences (i) remain resident in the UK and (ii) have unknown residential status.

Damian Green: In order to answer these questions the UK Border Agency would need to cross reference individual records with the National Offender Management Service. This would incur a disproportionate cost.

UK Border Agency: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the acting chief executive of the UK Border Agency plans to respond to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North, ref: C1166155.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency confirms that a response was issued to the hon. Member on 29 June 2011.

TRANSPORT

Aviation

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason a national policy statement for aviation has not been produced.

Theresa Villiers: The Government have made clear their position on additional runways at London's three major airports and that their priority is therefore to create a sustainable framework for UK aviation, rather than produce a national policy statement for airports. This was set out in ‘Major infrastructure planning reform: Work plan’, published by the Department for Communities and Local Government in December 2010.
	The Government issued a scoping document in March 2011 to inform the development of a sustainable framework for UK aviation which will be published for consultation in March 2012.

Aviation

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what near-miss incidents involving (a) commercial and (b) private aircraft and UK nuclear installations have been reported to his Department in each year since May 2004; and if he will place copies of the report on each incident in the Library.

Theresa Villiers: The Air Accident Investigation Branch has not been notified of any near-miss incidents involving either commercial or private aircraft and UK nuclear installations since May 2004.

Biggin Hill Airport: Olympic Games 2012

Jo Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the effects of a time-limited waiver to the terms of Biggin Hill airport's lease with Bromley council allowing extended hours and additional flights during the period of the London 2012 Olympics.

Theresa Villiers: This would be a matter for the local authority to consider.

Cycling: Accidents

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cyclists have been killed in road traffic accidents on (a) dual carriageways for which the Highways Agency is responsible and (b) other roads in each of the last five years.

Michael Penning: The number of pedal cyclists killed in reported personal injury road accidents on (a) dual carriageways of the 2004 Highways Agency core network and (b) other roads in England between 2005 and 2009 is shown in Table 1.
	
		
			 Table 1: Pedal cyclists killed in reported personal injury road accidents by road type, England: 2005-09 
			  (a) Highways Agency dual carriageways  (1) (b) Other roads in England  (2) Total in England 
			 2005 7 123 130 
			 2006 6 121 127 
			 2007 3 126 129 
			 2008 6 96 102 
			 2009 8 85 93 
			 (1) Based on the 2004 Highways Agency core network. (2 )Includes fatalities on other, non-dual carriageway, Highways Agency roads. 
		
	
	The Highways Agency 2004 core network is an estimate of what the 2006 network was expected to be as a result of the ongoing 10-year programme of “detrunking” which concluded in March 2009. This saw about 30% of the trunk road network (as at April 1999) transfer from Highway Agency control to local highways authority control.
	As this programme was in progress during the years covered by Table 1, the table may misclassify some pedal cyclist fatalities that occurred on roads where the control has changed. The overall figures for England remain correct.
	In 2010, there were 102 pedal cyclists killed in reported personal injury road accidents in England. The breakdown of these reported fatalities between Highways Agency dual carriageways and other roads is not yet available.

Departmental Allowances

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what expenses were claimed by (a) paid and (b) unpaid special advisers working in his Department in the last 12 months.

Norman Baker: Over the last 12 months, special advisers at the Department for Transport have incurred expenses of £568 for train fares, £85 hotel accommodation costs and £36 for a single use of the Government Car and Despatch Agency's low carbon taxi-style service known as the green car service. All of these items were centrally booked and no expenses were directly claimed by or reimbursed to the special advisers.
	The total incurred cost of £689 in the last 12 months compares to £9,515 incurred in centrally booked expenses plus £1,958 claimed in reimbursable expenses by Special advisers at the DFT in 2009-10.
	There are no unpaid special advisers working at the Department for Transport.

Driving Tests

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving test appointments at the Northwich Driving Test Centre have been cancelled in the last 12 months at the request of the Driving Standards Agency or by staff at the centre; and how many of those cancellations have been due to the centre having insufficient examiners to fulfil all the booked appointments.

Michael Penning: In the 12 months to 30 June 2011, the Driving Standards Agency has cancelled 389 practical driving tests at Northwich Driving Test Centre, of which 350 were due to driving examiners being unavailable.

Heathrow Airport: Noise

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints his Department and its predecessor received about noise pollution related to Heathrow airport in each of the last 10 years.

Theresa Villiers: While the Department for Transport receives correspondence from MPs and the public on noise issues at Heathrow, including complaints, we do not hold records on the numbers of correspondence over the last 10 years.

Humber Bridge Board

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what provisions of primary and secondary legislation determine the composition of the Humber Bridge Board; what the procedures are to alter the composition of the board; and whether the board has the power to amend its own composition;
	(2)  what changes have been made to the composition of the Humber Bridge Board since 1981; and what instruments were used to bring about those changes.

Norman Baker: I have been informed by the Humber Bridge Board that section 6 of the Humber Bridge Act 1959 set out the original membership of the board being 21 members:
	12 to be appointed by the corporation (being the Lord Mayor and aldermen of the city of Hull)
	1 to be appointed by East Riding council
	1 to be appointed by Lindsey council
	1 to be appointed by the Scunthorpe corporation
	3 to be appointed by the Haltemprice urban district council
	3 be appointed by Barton-upon Humber urban district council.
	Section 6 of the 1959 Act was amended by the Local Government Changes for England (Miscellaneous Provision) Order 1996, (SI 1996/466) which states, at paragraph 3, that the board shall consist of 22 members to be appointed as follows:
	12 members to be appointed by the district council of Kingston upon Hull
	1 member to be appointed by the county council of Lincolnshire
	4 members to be appointed by the district council of the East Riding of Yorkshire
	5 members to be appointed by the district council of North Lincolnshire
	The Bridge Board does not have the power to amend its own composition; but under section 97 of the 1959 Act, the board may apply to the Secretary of State to make an order altering the composition.

Large Goods Vehicles

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to review its policy on service areas and other roadside facilities to reflect the conclusions of the Lorry Parking Baseline Report and the Strategy for Lorry Parking Provision in England.

Michael Penning: My written ministerial statement of 22 June 2011, Official Report, columns 17-20WS, announced a new policy of allowing dedicated truck stops on motorways.
	In addition I am considering a number of other options for improving the quality and provision of lorry parking facilities in England and expect to make a further statement in due course.

National Planning Policy Framework

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he gave to the inclusion of plug-in vehicle infrastructure in the National Planning Policy Framework.

Bob Neill: I have been asked to reply.
	Consideration has been given to a wide range of issues, including plug-in vehicle infrastructure, as part of the Government's preparation for the consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework. The consultation is to be launched shortly.
	I also refer my hon. Friend to my Department's press notice of 3 January 2011 on the steps we are taking to allow electric car charging points to be built on streets and in outdoor car parks without the need for planning permission.

Ports: Liverpool

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to (a) undertake an impact assessment and (b) assess the potential effect on employment prior to making a decision on whether the City of Liverpool Cruise Terminal can be used for turnaround calls.

Michael Penning: I announced today a consultation by my Department on a proposal to remove our objection to lifting a grant condition which precludes the use of the City Cruise Terminal for turnaround calls, in return for a partial repayment of grant. This proposal reflects my broad provisional assessment of the balance of economic benefits to the Liverpool City Region and the impact on fair competition with terminals elsewhere. The consultation provides an opportunity for respondents to express views on the economic, employment, tourism and other impacts of this proposed measure.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

House of Lords: Reform

Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister for what reasons he considers that a referendum on reform of the House of Lords is not necessary; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Harper: At the last election, all three main political parties were committed to reform of the House of Lords and the Government believe that we should move forward on this issue.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Maintenance

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assistance the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission gives to parents living in the UK in respect of outstanding maintenance payments owed by absent parents resident in the Irish Republic.

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	Letter from Noel Shanahan
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assistance the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission gives to parents living in the UK in respect of outstanding maintenance payments owed by absent parents resident in the Irish Republic.
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (the Commission) has jurisdiction to make a maintenance calculation and collect child support maintenance only when the parent with care, the non-resident parent and the qualifying child are all habitually resident in the UK. Habitual residence is a legal concept which means more than simply 'where you live'. A person can habitually reside in more than one country or in none. Habitual residence can continue during an absence from UK.
	The Commission retains the power to pursue a non-resident parent who moves overseas, including those that live in the Irish Republic, for ongoing maintenance payments, but only where the non-resident is regarded as being habitually resident in the UK. The criteria for establishing jurisdiction when a non-resident parent leaves the United Kingdom is described at Section 44 of the Child Support Act 1991. There is no distinction made between an EU state and a non-EU state.
	If the non-resident parent ceases to be habitually resident, the Commission can no longer seek ongoing maintenance. We can only enforce child maintenance arrears directly if the non-resident parent holds assets within the UK, such as savings or property, which would fall within the jurisdiction of the UK courts. Since 3 August 2009, the Commission has had the power to make deductions from current or savings accounts held within the UK without the consent of the non-resident parent.
	The Commission may take action to prevent the non-resident parent disposing of his assets, from which the Commission could recover the arrears. The Commission may apply to the High Court (England and Wales) or the Court of Session (Scotland) if a non-resident parent has arrears of child support; and have disposed of, or is about to dispose of, assets with the intention of avoiding child support.
	From 18 June 2011, the Commission will have some ability under the new European legislation EC EU 04/2009 to enforce certain arrears of maintenance that accrued while both parents were resident in the UK where the non-resident parent now resides in another jurisdiction within the European Union (except Denmark). It can also assist parents with care in the process of obtaining a court order for ongoing maintenance which can then be enforced via an application to the Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders (REMO) unit at the Office of the Official Solicitor and Public Trustee. The new European legislation also allows the Commission to make enquiries about assets a non-resident parent may own in another E.U member state (except Denmark) for the purposes of enforcing child maintenance arrears owed in the UK.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Education: Bexleyheath

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged between 16 and 64 in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency were not in education, employment or training in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people aged between 16 and 64 in Bexleyheath and Crayford Constituency were not in education, employment or training in the latest period for which figures are available. (63887)
	Based on the Annual Population Survey (APS), for the period January 2010 to December 2010, 13,000 people aged 16 to 64 resident in the Bexleyheath and Crayford Constituency were not in education, employment or training.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and JSA count are available on the Nomis website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

Social Fund

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department takes to monitor and assess the extent to which money paid to claimants from the Social Fund is used for the purposes set out in their applications.

Steve Webb: The Social Fund consists of a regulated and a discretionary scheme. Funeral Payments, Sure Start Maternity Grants, Cold Weather Payments and Winter Fuel Payments are part of the regulatory Social Fund scheme. Community Care Grants, Crisis and Budgeting Loans are part of the discretionary Social Fund scheme.
	The Social Fund does not routinely monitor or assess the extent to which money paid to claimants is used for the purposes set out in their applications because the high volume of payments made for the scheme, especially in relation to cold weather and winter fuel payments, make the cost of monitoring and assessing what payments are spent on prohibitive.
	In relation to the Community Care Grant scheme, however, targeted pre-award visits based upon set risk criteria are made to confirm claimants needs prior to an award being made. In addition repeat applications will not be successful if they are made for the same need within 12 months of an earlier application.
	For Crisis and Budgeting Loans, applications will only be successful if the applicant is facing a disaster or an emergency and the health and safety of the applicant or their family is at risk; or they require money for a one off expense not covered by benefits. Any award made is fully recoverable.

Social Security Benefits: Newcastle

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people his Department's modelling has indicated will be made homeless in Newcastle as a result of the total benefit cap.

Chris Grayling: The benefit cap will mean that people on benefit will face choices about housing costs similar to those faced by people in work. But it will not necessarily mean that they will need to move from their home. Even within the limits of this cap, households will still be able to receive significant amounts of financial assistance from state welfare payments and if a member of the household moves into work and becomes eligible for working tax credit they will be exempt from the impacts of the cap.
	There is a range of help local authorities can offer to households who are struggling to meet their rent, including the provision of discretionary housing payments. We have already made an additional £190 million available over the spending review period for this purpose as a result of the changes we have made to housing benefit.
	The Government's estimate of the number of people who will be presenting as homeless as a result of the overall benefit cap is as contained in the Department's Impact Assessment. The information requested is available only at Great Britain level. The Impact Assessment can be found via the following link:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/household-benefit-cap-wr2011-ia.pdf

Social Security Benefits: Newcastle

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what additional net cost his Department's modelling has indicated will be placed on Newcastle Council as a result of the total benefit cap.

Chris Grayling: The Government's estimate of the costs of the overall benefit cap is as contained in the Department's Impact Assessment. The information requested is available only at Great Britain level. The Impact Assessment can be found via the following link:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/household-benefit-cap-wr2011-ia.pdf

State Retirement Pensions: Uprating

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason pensioners who retire to live abroad in some countries have their pensions up rated in line with inflation whereas those retiring to certain other countries do not; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: The UK state pension is payable world wide but is only up-rated abroad where there is a legal requirement or reciprocal agreement to do so. A well known court case challenging the UK's position was heard by the European Court of Human Rights Grand Chamber in September 2009 and the Court's judgment of March 2010 was in the UK's favour. We continue to take our obligations under the terms of the European Convention on Human Rights seriously and are satisfied that we are complying. We therefore have no plans to make any changes to the current arrangements that allow for the exportability and up rating of UK state pensions.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether all new applications for in- work and out-of-work benefits will be treated as applications for universal credit from October 2013.

Chris Grayling: Our provisional timetable states that from October 2013 all new applications for out-of-work support will be treated as claims to universal credit. No new jobseeker's allowance, employment and support allowance, income support and housing benefit claims will be accepted. New claims for tax credits will continue to be accepted until April 2014. Detailed planning is still at an early stage, and the timetable and sequence for transition may change as a result.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Business Performance

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will make an assessment for benchmarking purposes of the performance of UK firms in adopting (a) business best practice and (b) workplace changes in comparison with other OECD countries.

David Willetts: The DTI Economics Paper number 7, “Competing in the Global Economy—The Innovation Challenge”, found that UK Innovation performance as a whole is around the average of other advanced economies, but that UK businesses as a group appearing to be less creative and less able to introduce workplace changes and, in some areas, the UK lags in the adoption of best business practices.
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills does not plan to make an assessment for benchmarking purposes. Since the above paper was published, the evidence base in these areas has strengthened considerably, with regular, consistent and comparable data being published, including an improved and extended Community Innovation Survey (CIS). As such, it is not considered necessary to undertake a specific assessment as regularly updated data on workplace innovation are readily available.

Higher Education

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students on (a) taught masters' courses, (b) other masters' courses, (c) PhD studies and (d) other doctoral studies received funding for their studies in each of the last three years; for how many he expects to provide funding in each case in each year of the comprehensive spending review period; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: The most recent Higher Education Statistics Agency data (HESA) relates to 2009/10. Data on Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) fundable students for the latest three available years and split by the following categories ‘PhD/Doctorate', Taught Masters' and ‘Other Masters' are provided in the following table. We are not able to provide the figures broken down into the exact categories asked for. The figures relate to HEFCE fundable students only, on all years of study. Additional places will be funded by other Government Departments, charities and research bodies.
	
		
			 HEFCE fundable 
			 Headcount 
			  2007 2008 2009 
			 PhD/Doctorate 43,000 43,000 46,000 
			 Taught Masters 163,000 154,000 170,000 
			 Other Masters 9,000 9,000 10,000 
			 Source: 2007/08, 2008/09 and 2009/10 HESA student data 
		
	
	We do not have estimates of the likely number of students on these courses over the spending review period. HEFCE fundable places are expected to remain broadly constant over the spending review period.
	We have accepted the recommendations of Professor Sir Adrian Smith's review of postgraduate education. In our White Paper Higher Education: Students at the Heart of the System (Cm 8122) we have asked HEFCE to review the impact of undergraduate funding changes on post graduate participation to help inform thinking on the longer term future of postgraduate funding.

Higher Education

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which of the proposals in the Higher Education White Paper will require (a) primary legislation and (b) secondary legislation to implement; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: holding answer 4 July 2011
	The Regulatory Framework for Higher Education is currently set out in the Education Reform Act 1988, the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998, and the Higher Education Act 2004. Any changes to the regulatory framework, including changes to the role and function of HEFCE and OFFA, as defined by these acts is likely to require primary legislation and secondary legislation. Over the summer we will consult on a new regulatory framework, which will set out clear and demanding conditions for an organisation to be recognised as a provider of higher education in England. As part of this consultation we will consider changes to the process and criteria for obtaining university title and taught degree-awarding powers. We are currently consulting on the potential introduction of an early repayment mechanism for student loans. Depending on the outcome of this consultation we may need to introduce primary and/or secondary legislation.

Imports: Israel

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what country code is used to record imports from Israeli settlements on the UK Trade database.

David Gauke: I have been asked to reply.
	For imports from Israeli settlements located beyond Israel's borders as established in 1967 the country code used should be PS.

Students: Public Expenditure

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many (a) funded, (b) off-quota and (c) private student places for (i) full-time students and (ii) part-time students there were in each of the last three years; how many such places he expects there to be in each year of the comprehensive spending review period; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: The most recent Higher Education Statistics Agency data (HESA) relates to 2009/10. Data on Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) fundable students for the latest three available years is provided in the following table. These figures relate to HEFCE fundable students only, on all years of study. Additional places will be funded by Government Departments, charities and research bodies. The drop in fundable part-time students in 2008 is due to the removal of HEFCE funding for students studying for a qualification equal or lower than one they already hold.
	
		
			 HEFCE fundable 2007 2008 2009 
			 Full-time 925,000 942,000 997,000 
			 Part-time (headcount) 584,000 489,000 495,000 
		
	
	Information on the number of students at private HE providers is not collected centrally. HESA collects information on only one private provider (the university of Buckingham), however it recently published the results of a survey of private and for-profit providers of higher education covering the 2009/10 academic year, which can be found at the following website:
	http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2086&ltemid=310
	Data relating to closed (off quota) courses are shown in the following table. In addition to students attending closed courses, all non-EU students are outside student number controls.
	
		
			 Closed courses 2007 2008 2009 
			 Full-time 1,745 1,816 1,612 
			 Part-time (head count) 5,412 4,094 4,369 
			 Source: 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 HESA student data 
		
	
	We do not have estimates of the likely number of students on private and off-quota courses over the spending review period. HEFCE fundable places are expected to remain broadly constant over the spending review period.

EDUCATION

Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Children

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on implementation of the recommendations of the report of the Independent Review of the Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood, Letting Children be Children; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah Teather: Reg Bailey published the report of his independent review of the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood, ‘Letting Children be Children’, on 6 June. In their response, made to Parliament as a written ministerial statement on 7 June 2011, Official Report, column 8WS, the Government made clear that they accepted and welcomed Mr Bailey's analysis and the thrust of all the recommendations he has made, which will reduce the pressure on children to grow up too fast. The Government's policy on implementation of these recommendations was also set out in the written ministerial statement.
	Most of the recommendations of Mr Bailey's report are made to businesses, industry associations and the regulators. It is a matter for those organisations to decide how best to achieve the intended outcomes for each of the recommendations, although the Government look to them to see that these recommendations are implemented as fully as possible.
	Mr Bailey has also recommended that the Government should consider strengthening the controls on music videos. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport will respond to this recommendation by consulting on the operation of the Video Recordings Act 1984 and 2010. The consultation will look at a range of options including consideration of whether it would be appropriate for the exemption that music videos enjoy from this legislation to be removed, and call for evidence in support of the costs and benefits of such a change.
	Mr Bailey has placed the responsibility for action on businesses themselves and, if necessary, their regulators. The Government will actively monitor implementation of the recommendations, leading up to a full stock-take of progress in 18 months' time. At this point, we will consider what further measures may need to be taken to achieve the recommended outcomes, including considering statutory regulation if voluntary action has not been effective.
	I have already held a meeting on 27 June with representatives of many of the major businesses and regulators concerned to discuss how they propose to take action to implement the recommendations of the Bailey review. The Prime Minister has also announced that he will hold a similar meeting in October to review progress.

Extracurricular Activities: Finance

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what financial support his Department provides for groups run for children aged between five and nine years.

Sarah Teather: The following financial support is provided by the Department for Education for groups run for children between five and nine years:
	Children's University has been provided a grant of £700,000 over two years (2011-13) to enable it to continue developing and extending high quality provision outside the school day for five to 14-year-old children in England.
	ContinYou has been granted around £800,000 over two years (2011-13) to support before and after school settings, including schools and voluntary and community sector providers, to increase the range of high quality extra curricular and learning opportunities for school age children, including five to nine-year-olds.
	Funding of £356.5 million (in 2011-12) previously provided through the Standards Fund to local authorities by the Department for Education to support provision of extended services (including after-school activities) now forms part of schools' main budget. We are giving schools freedom and flexibility across all their budgets as they know best how to support their pupils. Schools will be able to continue offering extended services where they wish to do so.

Further Education: Admissions

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the potential effect on rates of participation in post-16 education of the abolition of education maintenance allowance and the reduction in the number of local authorities which subsidise transport for 16 to 19-year-olds.

Nick Gibb: The £180 million 16-19 bursary funding introduced from September 2011 will enable schools, colleges and training providers to support students facing the greatest financial barriers to participation. In contrast to current discretionary learner support funds, the 16-19 bursary fund will have the flexibility to help meet transport costs for individual students, where those costs have been identified as a real barrier to that student's participation.
	This sits alongside the duty on local authorities to publish a statement each year that sets out the travel arrangements they consider necessary to enable young people of sixth form age to attend post-16 education. Decisions regarding the extent of such arrangements, including the provision of any financial assistance, are for local authorities to make following appropriate consultation.
	Taken together, these arrangements allow schools, colleges and local authorities to target support in ways that best meet the individual needs and circumstances of young people, and to ensure that young people are not prevented from participating in post-16 education or training because of their financial circumstances.

Outdoor Education

Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The Government support educational activities outside the classroom. We have simplified health and safety requirements covering activities that take place on or off school premises, including school trips, so that it is easier for schools to engage their pupils in activities outside the classroom.
	The Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge Scheme, which is managed by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, is an award which recognises the quality of provision as well as effective risk management. The Department has made no recent assessment of the effectiveness of the Council's Quality Badge Scheme.

Schools: Libraries

Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  if he will estimate the number of school librarians that will be made redundant in Rochdale constituency in the next academic year;
	(2)  if he will estimate the number of school libraries that will be closed in Rochdale constituency during the next academic year.

Nick Gibb: A good school library is a very valuable resource for pupils and teachers.
	The Department has made no estimate of future changes in the number of school libraries or of changes in the number of school library staff either at national, or at local level, in the next academic year. However, through the School Workforce Survey the Department collects data on the number of librarians in maintained schools in England and on the number of schools with librarians. The 2010 census reported a headcount number of five librarians employed in publicly funded schools in Rochdale constituency in four schools, one primary and three secondary. One of the secondary schools employed two librarians.

Schools: Standards

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools in (a) Worcestershire and (b) Redditch have received an outstanding result from Ofsted in the last three years.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to my hon. Friend and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
	Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 29 June 2011
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for response.
	Since 2005, maintained school inspections have been carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Ofsted records all judgements made by inspectors in section 5 inspections, including the judgement for overall effectiveness of the school.
	Maintained schools inspected under section 5 include nursery, primary, secondary (including academies and city technology colleges), special schools and pupil referral units.
	Table A below shows the number of maintained schools judged to be outstanding for overall effectiveness at their section 5 inspection during the academic years 2007/08 to 2009/10 inclusive in Worcestershire local authority and Redditch constituency. Equivalent data have also been provided for England for context, and the table shows the total number of inspections in each of these areas in each year.
	In September 2009, Ofsted implemented a policy of more proportionate inspection using risk assessment as an aid to scheduling the inspection of good and outstanding schools. We deliberately set out to inspect a greater proportion of previously satisfactory or inadequate schools each year and a smaller proportion of previously good or outstanding schools. The sample of schools inspected is therefore skewed and means that comparisons between years should be treated with caution as some differences are due to the very different sample of schools inspected during the different periods.
	Statistics covering the outcomes of ail inspections carried out in each academic year since 2005/06 can be found at:
	http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Documents-by-type/Statistics/Maintained-schools/Inspection-outcomes
	The most recent official statistics release covering the outcomes of maintained school inspections carried out during the autumn and spring terms 2010/11 were released on 15 3une 2011 and can be accessed at the same link.
	
		
			 Table A:   Schools judged outstanding for overall effectiveness at their section 5 inspection in (a) England (b) Worcestershire local authority (c) Redditch constituency in each of the last three years 
			  2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 
			 Number of schools judged outstanding for overall effectiveness, and as a percentage of total number of inspections in the area    
			 England 1,146 (15%) 1,327 (19%) 782 (13%) 
			 Worcestershire local authority(1) 3 12 6 
			 Redditch constituency 0 1 1 
			     
			 Total number of inspections in academic year    
			 England 7,866 7,065 6,171 
			 Worcestershire local authority 77 101 62 
			 Redditch constituency 14 9 12 
			 (1 )Where numbers are small, percentages are not displayed.

Schools: Standards

Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools were assessed as outstanding by Ofsted in Hastings and Rye constituency in each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for Ofsted. John Goldup, National Director, Development and Strategy has written to my hon. Friend, on behalf of HM Chief Inspector. A copy of his reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
	Letter from John Goldup, dated 4 July 2011
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to Her Majesty's Chief Inspector for response. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector is currently on leave, and I am replying on her behalf.
	Since 2005, maintained school inspections have been carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Ofsted records all judgements made by inspectors in section 5 inspections, including the judgement for overall effectiveness of the school.
	Maintained schools inspected under section 5 include nursery, primary, secondary (including academies and city technology colleges), special schools and pupil referral units.
	Table A as follows shows the number of maintained schools judged to be outstanding for overall effectiveness at their section 5 inspection during the academic years 2005/06 to 2009/10 inclusive in Hastings and Rye constituency. Equivalent data have also been provided for England for context, and the table shows the total number of inspections in each of these areas in each year.
	In September 2009, Ofsted implemented a policy of more proportionate inspection using risk assessment and deliberately set out to inspect a greater proportion of previously satisfactory or inadequate schools each year and a smaller proportion of previously good or outstanding schools. This led to a skew in the sample of schools inspected and means that comparisons between years should be treated with caution as some differences are due to the different sample of schools inspected during the different periods.
	Statistics covering the outcomes of all inspections carried out in each academic year since 2005/06 can be found at:
	http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Documents-by-type/Statistics/Maintained-schools/Inspection-outcomes
	The most recent official statistics release covering the outcomes of maintained school inspections carried out during the autumn and spring terms 2010/11 were released on 15 June 2011 and can be accessed at the same link.
	
		
			 Table A: Schools judged outstanding for overall effectiveness at their section 5 inspection in England and Hastings and Rye constituency in each of the last five years 
			  Number of schools judged outstanding for overall effectiveness, and as a percentage of total number of inspections in the area 
			  2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 
			 England      
			 Number 648 1,150 1,146 1,327 782 
			 Percentage 11 14 15 19 13 
			       
			 Hastings and Rye constituency(1) 0 1 0 0 1 
		
	
	
		
			  Total number of inspections in academic year 
			  2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 
			 England 6,128 8,323 7,866 7,065 6,171 
			 Hastings and Rye constituency 7 17 8 10 13 
			 (1 )Where numbers are small, percentages are not displayed.

Schools: Vocational Guidance

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2011, Official Report, column 762W, on schools: careers guidance, when he expects to reach a decision on the timing of the review of careers guidance.

Nick Gibb: A thematic review of young people's careers guidance will be helpful in establishing a baseline for future policy development once the new arrangements for careers guidance are implemented. Subject to the passage of the Education Bill, schools will be under a duty to secure access to independent, impartial careers guidance for their pupils from September 2012. We would not expect a thematic review to take place before that date.

Sexual Offences: Education

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received on including domestic and sexual violence and abuse issues in the curriculum.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education has received a number of representations regarding the inclusion of domestic, sexual violence, and abuse issues in the curriculum. Many of these representations have been part of the campaign on the role of schools in preventing violence against women and girls, co-ordinated by the “end violence against women and girls” coalition.
	We believe high quality personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education plays an important part in helping young people develop the skills to manage risk and the negative aspects of some relationships, including use of violence and other forms of abuse. As set out in the Schools White Paper 2010 the Department will undertake a review of PSHE to improve the quality of PSHE teaching.

Special Educational Needs

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the name is of each school, other than special schools, in which the proportion of pupils with special educational needs is over 50 per cent.

Sarah Teather: The information requested has been placed in the House Libraries.

Teachers: Training

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he plans to require publicly-funded schools to host student teachers; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: We have no plans to require publicly-funded schools to host student teachers. On 27 June we published “Training our next generation of outstanding teachers” in which we set out our proposals for the reform of initial teacher training, including proposals to increase school involvement in initial teacher training.

JUSTICE

Animal Welfare

Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many convictions there have been for offences under section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which involved horses since the Act was brought into force;
	(2)  how many convictions of animal owners there have been for offences under section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in each year since 2006;
	(3)  how many convictions there have been for offences under section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in each year since 2006.

Crispin Blunt: The number of defendants found guilty at all courts under section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in England and Wales, from 2007 (when the Act commenced) to 2010 (latest available) can be viewed in the table.
	Information held centrally by the Ministry of Justice on the Court Proceedings Database does not contain information about the circumstances behind each case, beyond the description provided in the statute under which proceedings are brought. It is not possible to separately identify those proceedings where the defendant was the animal's owner or the type of animal against which an offence was committed.
	
		
			 Defendants found guilty at all courts under section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006  (1)  , England and Wales, 2007-10  (2, 3) 
			 Statute Offence description 2007 2008  (4) 2009 2010 
			 Animal Welfare Act 2006 section 4 Causing, permitting or failing to prevent unnecessary suffering 22 635 902 856 
			 (1 )Animal and Welfare Act 2006 came into force in April 2007. (2) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.

Courts: Closures

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which (a) magistrates and (b) Crown courts he plans to close in the North East.

Jonathan Djanogly: A schedule of proposed dates for court closures and information on the transfer of work can be found on the HM Courts and Tribunals Service website at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/about/hmcts/courts.htm
	This follows the public consultation that took place in the summer of 2010 regarding closures of magistrates and county courts and the decisions that were announced on 14 December 2010. No Crown courts were included in that consultation.

Prisoners’ Discharge Grants: Females

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was provided as a discharge grant to women who had been in mother and baby units with their infants within prisons in the latest period in which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: All eligible sentenced prisoners, including women accommodated in mother and baby units, receive a discharge grant of £46 upon release.

Prisons: Manpower

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the recommended staffing levels are for (a) HM Prison and Young Offender Institution Glen Parva, (b) Wetherby Young Offender Institution, (c) New Hall Young Offender Institution, (d) Stoke Heath Young Offender Institution, (e) HM Prison Bedford and (f) Aylesbury Young Offender Institution; and what the average staffing level at each institution has been in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what guidance his Department has issued on recommended staffing levels in young offender institutions; and if he will place in the Library a copy of any such guidance.

Crispin Blunt: Information on the recommended staffing levels and the average staffing level for each of the establishments listed within the question is provided in the following table.
	
		
			 Staffing requirement and average staff in post—as at 31 March 2011 
			 Full-time equivalent 
			  Staffing requirement  (1) Average staff in post  (2) 
			 Aylesbury 310.4 268.6 
			 Bedford 263.0 243.0 
			 Glen Parva 482.2 437.2 
			 New Hall 367.3 359.6 
			 Stoke Heath 431.5 419.0 
			 Wetherby 413.1 386.1 
			 (1) As at 3l March 2011. (2 )April 2010 to March 2011.  Source: Monthly Staffing Returns and Oracle HRMS. 
		
	
	Recommended staffing levels have been taken from the monthly staffing requirement forms submitted by each establishment. This figure reflects the total number of funded posts within the establishment. Average staff in post figures are for the 12 months to 31 March 2011. All figures are provided on a full-time equivalent basis.
	There is no guidance for the recommended staffing levels within young offender institutions. Staffing requirements are set against the level of planned activity within each establishment. In their regime planning, young offender institutions are expected to deliver a higher level of regime than in an adult establishment, particularly in respect of PE, learning and skills and other activities. The Youth Justice Board specifies staffing levels for individual institutions that are operated by NOMS on their behalf.

Young Offenders: Health Professions

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what requirements there are for medical staff to be present at (a) young offenders institutions, (b) secure training centres and (c) secure children's homes.

Crispin Blunt: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) Commissioning responsibility for health services provided in the publicly run young offender institutions (YOIs) rests with NHS primary care trusts (PCTs). These services are subject to the same standards, regulation and governance as are applied in the wider NHS. Each PCT should decide which health care treatments and services to provide for its local population based on a full needs assessment, and commission these from NHS or independent sector providers. PCTs also decide on spending levels for specific health care treatments and services provided in all primary care settings, including staffing levels. The Department of Health (DH) does not ring-fence PCT money, and is not prescriptive about how individual PCTs spend their budgets.
	In both the publicly run YOIs and in private YOIs, all young people are screened within 24 hours of arrival for any immediate needs including health care needs. Health services in all YOIs must comply with Prison Service Orders/Prison Service Instructions and any relevant DH and NHS guidelines.
	24-hour health care is provided at private YOIs. Health services must also be of an equivalent standard to those available in the community. There are full-time medical staff on site to provide regular assessment and health care and in addition there are visiting doctors, dentists and specialists. Any young person involved in an incident or a restraint will be seen immediately by a nurse.
	Young people will also be taken outside to local NHS services where required for emergency or specialist treatment.
	(b) Medical and nursing care is available every day on a 24-hour basis within Secure Training Centres (STCs). Contractual provisions require that a qualified nurse must be on site at each STC during the day and early evening and on call at all other times; and that a young person who requests to see a health care worker will be seen by a qualified nurse or medical practitioner within 30 minutes of making his/her request. Any young person involved in an accident or emergency will receive immediate medical attention. Young people are also entitled to a basic monthly medical examination and/or health assessment by health care staff at the STC and have access to NHS facilities and specialists when clinically required.
	(c) Secure Children's Homes (SCH) are regulated by The Children's Homes Regulations 2001 which are made under the Care Standards Act 2000. Under Regulation 20, each child must be registered with a GP, have access to health services that s/he may require and be provided with the necessary support for their health needs. Additionally, at least one person on duty in the SCH must have a suitable first aid qualification and any appointed nurse must be registered. The National Minimum Standards (NMS) for Children's Homes are issued under section 23 of the Care Standards Act 2000. These standards are to enable individual providers to develop their own particular ethos and approach to practice. For example, standard 6 of the NMS state that all children's homes (which include SCHs) must promote good health and wellbeing of young people.
	It has been agreed by the Department of Health and Ministry of Justice that commissioning responsibility for health services in STCs and SCHs with youth justice commissioned beds, will transfer to the NHS. The Ministry of Justice is also working closely with the Department of Health to ensure that the changes to the NHS proposed in the Health and Social Care Bill (regarding the responsibilities of the National Commissioning Board for those in prison and in custody) will further enhance commissioning of health services in the youth secure estate.

TREASURY

Air Passenger Duty

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the future of air passenger duty after aviation enters the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Justine Greening: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 23 June 2011, Official Report, column 424W.

Carbon Emissions

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether climate change agreements will provide relief from carbon price support rates.

Justine Greening: Climate change agreements (CCA) provide a discount from the climate change levy to protect the competitive position of energy-intensive industry.
	The carbon floor price is levied on the supply of fossil fuels used to generate electricity. Therefore, businesses with CCAs will not pay carbon price support rates.
	Budget 2011 confirmed that the discount on electricity for CCA participants will be increased from 65% to 80% from April 2013. The Government will also announce a package of measures by the end of the year to help energy-intensive industry adjust to the low-carbon transformation.

Emergency Services: Pay

Chris Williamson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had with representatives of (i) trade unions and (ii) the Chief Fire Officers Association on pay negotiations in the fire and rescue service.

Danny Alexander: Treasury Ministers and officials regularly engage with trade unions on overall pay and pension policy. However, pay for the Fire and Rescue Service is negotiated through two National Joint Councils. The NJC for Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services negotiates for UK firefighters and control room staff (up to and including the area manager role) and the NJC for Brigade Managers negotiates for Chief Fire Officers, deputies and assistants.
	The Treasury is not a member of either of these Joint Councils and therefore no Treasury Minister or official has met either the trade unions or the Chief Fire Officers Association as part of pay negotiations.

EU Economic Policy

John Redwood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what account the Government take in the formulation of economic policy of assessments of such policy made by EU institutions;
	(2)  if he will estimate the number of pages of documentation the UK has submitted under the European Semester initiative in 2011.

Mark Hoban: The Government support the European Semester as an important development in the EU's overall surveillance framework. The treaty sets out (article 121) that member states shall regard their economic policies as a matter of common concern and shall co-ordinate them within the Council. However, under the terms of the UK's protocol to the treaty, the United Kingdom only has to “endeavour to avoid” excessive Government deficits; all other member states are obliged to “avoid” them. Moreover, because of our opt-out, sanctions cannot apply to the UK under the excessive deficit procedure.
	It is important to note that any recommendations adopted by the ECOFIN Council and addressed to the UK are non-binding. When making plans for the annual Budget, the Chancellor routinely considers assessments made by international partners, such as the OECD and IMF, as well as representations from businesses and individuals. He will of course similarly consider the final recommendations of the EU's ECOFIN Council.
	In submitting information to Council and the Commission, the Government complied fully with the assurances previously given by the Chancellor and the Prime Minister that the content of the UK's Budget will only be sent after it has been presented to Parliament.
	The UK submitted its Convergence Programme, which is a 201-page document, and its National Reform Programme, which is a 66-page document, to the European Commission in April 2011 in fulfilment of its obligations under the European Semester. The content of both documents was drawn entirely from information already in the public domain, including the 2011 Budget.

Public Sector: Pensions

Chris Williamson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the likely change in the opt-out rates for the (a) Firefigher Pension Scheme and (b) Local Government Pension Scheme that would result from adopting the recommendations of the Independent Public Sector Pensions Commission; and if he will estimate the cost to each scheme in each case;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the average cost to members of the (a) Firefighter Pension Scheme and (b) Local Government Pension Scheme arising from implementation of the recommendations of the Independent Public Sector Pensions Commission.

Danny Alexander: At Budget 2011 the Government accepted Lord Hutton's recommendations as a basis for consultation with public sector workers, trade unions and others. The Government's discussions with unions and other groups are ongoing.

Revenue and Customs: Compensation

Richard Fuller: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2011, Official Report, column 829W, on departmental compensation, what steps he is taking to reduce the need for HM Revenue and Customs to compensate the public for errors made.

David Gauke: HMRC takes all complaints very seriously and recognises the need to minimise any amounts paid out as financial redress by providing better services to customers. HMRC is progressively introducing a programme of continuous improvement to streamline every aspect of its systems and procedures and eliminate errors and delays.
	For 2009-10 the payments made under the Department's ex-gratia financial redress policy totalled £3.74 million, including a single, exceptional payment of £1.2 million. For 2010-11, payments totalled £1.41 million. Excluding the exceptional payment this equates to a reduction of 44%.

Taxation: Environment Protection

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will assess the findings of the report of the Institute for Public Policy Research on the carbon price floor in the UK.

Justine Greening: The IPPR support the principle of a floor price for carbon across the EU. However, their underlying assumptions, and subsequent findings, do not recognise some of the wider benefits of a UK price floor.
	The impact assessment that accompanied the announcement of the carbon price floor used sophisticated economic modelling of the electricity market. This clearly demonstrated that a UK carbon price floor would unlock additional investment and provide long-term economic, social and environmental benefits for the UK.

CABINET OFFICE

Business: Turnover

Anne-Marie Morris: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of businesses in (a) the UK, (b) England and (c) Devon with an annual turnover of less than £25,000.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated June 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for the number of businesses in (a) the UK, (b) England and (c) Devon that have an annual turnover of less than £25,000 per year.
	Annual statistics on the number of enterprises are available from the ONS release UK Business: Activity, Size and Location at:
	www.statistics.gov.uk.
	However, ONS is unable to provide an answer to your question as the business register, upon which the estimates are based, is compiled using information from the VAT trader and PAYE administrative systems. As the VAT registration threshold for 2008/09 was £67,000 per year the feed for the business register from the VAT system will have poor coverage of businesses whose turnover was below £25,000. Furthermore, businesses with very low turnover are unlikely to operate a PAYE scheme leaving the PAYE feed also deficient as a measure of the target businesses.

Business: Turnover

Anne-Marie Morris: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the number of businesses in (a) the UK, (b) England and (c) Devon that employ fewer than five people.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated June 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking for the number of businesses in (a) the UK, (b) England and (c) Devon that employ fewer than five people.
	Annual statistics on the number of enterprises are available from the ONS release UK Business: Activity, Size and Location at:
	www.statistics.gov.uk
	The table below contains the latest statistics available, which show the number of enterprises in England and Devon with fewer than five employees.
	
		
			 Count of enterprises in the United Kingdom, England and Devon by employee size, 2010 
			  Fewer than five employees 
			 United Kingdom 1,638,360 
			 England 1,404,970 
			 Devon County 26,870

Cancer

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the mortality rate of cancer patients in (a) Liverpool, Walton constituency, (b) South Cambridgeshire constituency and (c) Oxford West and Abingdon constituency.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what assessment has been made of the mortality rate of cancer patients in (a) Liverpool, Walton constituency, (b) South Cambridgeshire constituency and (c) Oxford West and Abingdon constituency. (64970)
	The table attached provides the age-standardised mortality rate per 100,000 population, where the underlying cause of death was cancer, for persons in (a) Liverpool, Walton parliamentary constituency, (b) South Cambridgeshire parliamentary constituency and (c) Oxford West and Abingdon parliamentary constituency, for 2009 (the latest year available).
	It is not possible from the information given at death registration to state whether the deceased was a patient at the time of death.
	
		
			 Table 1. Age-standardised mortality rate per 100,000 population, where cancer was the underlying cause of death, Liverpool, Walton, South Cambridgeshire, and Oxford West and Abingdon parliamentary constituencies, 2009  (1,2,3,4) 
			 Rate per 100,000 population 
			   95% Confidence interval 
			 Parliamentary constituency Rate Lower limit Upper limit 
			 Liverpool, Walton 244 215 273 
		
	
	
		
			 South Cambridgeshire 152 132 171 
			 Oxford West and Abingdon 161 141 181 
			 (1) Age-standardised mortality rates per 100,000 population, standardised to the European Standard Population. Age-standardised rates are used to allow comparison between populations which may contain different proportions of people of different ages.  (2) Confidence intervals are a measure of the statistical precision of an estimate and show the range of uncertainty around the estimated figure. Calculations based on small numbers of events are often subject to random fluctuations. As a general rule, if the confidence interval around one figure overlaps with the interval around another, we cannot say with certainty that there is more than a chance difference between the two figures.  (3) Cause of death for cancer was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes C00-C97 (malignant neoplasms).  (4) Figures are for deaths registered in 2009.

Electricity

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when a decision will be taken on whether the Office for National Statistics will classify proposals for electricity market reform as tax and spend measures.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking when ONS will classify proposals for electricity market reform as tax and spend measures (64381).
	ONS makes classification decisions in line with a published protocol that is available on our website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/about/national_statistics/cop/downloads/NAclassification.pdf
	ONS is aware that the passage of the Energy Bill 2010-11 may raise a number of classification issues. ONS's normal practice is to provide classification decisions once the legislation is finalised and has received Royal Assent.

Government Procurement Card

John Spellar: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment his Department has made of the benefits to the Government of the use of Government Procurement Cards.

Francis Maude: Government Procurement Cards are a useful tool in helping Government to transact in the purchase of low cost goods and services and are particularly helpful in supporting our use of SMEs. They enable purchasers to streamline ordering processes, for example removing the need to raise a purchase order, and ensure that the Government meet their prompt payment initiatives.
	Recently I commissioned the Government's chief procurement officer to review the usage of these payment cards and deliver a common policy supported by standardised reporting across central Government. We are now working with each of the card providers to provide a consistent method of reporting government procurement card spend data for transactions above £500 in value, so this is available for publication on/via departmental websites, from the end of September 2011.

Statistics: Prices and Inflation

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which official statistics relating to prices and inflation will be measured by the (a) retail prices index and (b) consumer prices index in future.

Justine Greening: I have been asked to reply.
	The retail prices index (RPI) and consumer prices index (CPI) are not measures of official statistics, but are headline measures of price inflation.
	In December 2003, the Government announced that the inflation target would be based on the CPI rather than the retail prices index excluding mortgage interest payments (RPIX).
	In June 2010 the Government announced that from April 2011 the consumer prices index (CPI) rather than the retail prices index (RPI) will be used for the indexation of all benefits, tax credits and public service pensions.
	Budget 2011 announced that from April 2012 the default indexation assumption for direct taxes will switch from the RPl to the CPI. To ensure employers and older people do not lose out, the annual increases in the employer national insurance contributions threshold, and the age-related allowance and other thresholds for older people, will be over-indexed compared to the CPI, and will increase by the equivalent of the RPl. The personal allowance will increase from 2013-14 by at least the equivalent of the RPl, until the Government's goal of increasing the personal allowance to £10,000 is achieved.
	The default indexation assumption for indirect taxes and index-linked gilts is currently RPl. The Government expect to undertake a formal consultation on the issuance of CPI-linked gilts in 2011-12. The Government will also review the use of the CPI for indirect taxes once their fiscal consolidation plans have been implemented and the duty increases they inherited from the previous Government have come to an end.

Unemployment

Julie Elliott: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many children in Sunderland Central constituency are living in workless households.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many children in Sunderland Central constituency are living in workless households. 64977
	Estimates of the number of children living in workless households are derived from the Annual Population Survey (APS) household datasets. The most current dataset available is for 2009. However, due to the specific nature of your request it is not possible to provide reliable estimates because the sample sizes for this survey are not sufficiently large enough for the Sunderland Central constituency.

HEALTH

Black Country Primary Care Trust

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the arrangements for public engagement in the Black Country Primary Care Trust cluster.

Simon Burns: We have made no assessment of the arrangements for public engagement in the Black Country Primary Care Trust (PCT) cluster.
	The Department published PCT Cluster Implementation Guidance in January 2011 to support the creation of clusters. The guidance set key tasks for clusters and PCTs, including the importance of maintaining effective joint working arrangements and engagement processes with patients, communities, particularly seldom-heard and marginalised groups.
	The guidance is available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_123996.pdf
	A copy of this document has been placed in the Library.

Blood: Contamination

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions his Department has had with representatives of (a) Tainted Blood and (b) other groups representing those affected by contaminated blood supplies.

Anne Milton: I met representatives of Tainted Blood, the Manor House Group, the Hepatitis C Trust and the Haemophilia Society, on 29 June 2011.

Breast Cancer: Screening

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of women aged 53 to 64 years took part in a breast screening programme in each primary care trust area in each of the last five years.

Paul Burstow: This information is not held in the format requested. Information concerning the levels of breast screening coverage for women aged 53 to 64 in each primary care trust area in each of the last five years has been placed in the Library.
	Coverage is based on the number of women screened from within the eligible population. The eligible population is defined as the number of women in the registered population, less those recorded as ineligible.

Compulsorily Detained Mental Patients

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients subject to sectioning orders have absconded from secure mental hospitals in each of the last five years.

Paul Burstow: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	While we do not maintain statistics on absconds generally, the Department is informed where there is an abscond from a high-security hospital. There has been one abscond from a high-secure hospital in the last five years.

Dental Services: Registration

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information the General Dental Council (GDC) shares with his Department on the number of (a) dentists, (b) dental nurses, (c) dental technicians, (d) dental therapists, (e) dental hygienists, (f) orthodontic therapists, (g) clinical dental technicians and (h) dental practices that have registered with the GDC.

Simon Burns: The following table contains information from the General Dental Council's (GDC) website on the numbers of dentists and dental care professionals currently registered with the council.
	
		
			 Number of dentists and dental care professionals currently on the GDC register for the United Kingdom as at 6 July 2010 
			  GDC registrants 
			 Dentists 38,188 
			 Orthodontic therapists 166 
			 Dental hygienists 5,900 
			 Dental therapists 1,709 
			 Dental technicians 7,011 
			 Clinical dental technicians 168 
			 Dental nurses 46,769 
		
	
	Dental practices are not required to register with the GDC and not all dentists registered are practicing in the UK.

Departmental Lost Property

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of (a) laptops and (b) mobile telephones issued to staff of his Department which were lost in each year since 1997.

Simon Burns: The following table outlines laptop and mobile telephone losses since 1997 by financial year. No distinction is made between items lost or stolen.
	
		
			 Losses from 1997 to 2011 
			 Financial year Laptops Mobile telephones, including BlackBerr  y  s 
			    
			 1997-98 25 19 
			 1998-99 25 19 
			 1999-2000 22 31 
			 2000-01 23 45 
			 2001-02 35 36 
			 2002-03 30 37 
			 2003-04 34 29 
			 2004-05 23 15 
			 2005-06 18 11 
			 2006-07 11 23 
			 2007-08 14 30 
			 2008-09 34 40 
			 2009-10 22 61 
			 2010-11 10 50 
			 Total 326 446

Departmental Visits Abroad

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on overseas visits for Ministers and staff in 2010-11.

Simon Burns: The Department spent £472,738 on overseas visits during the financial year from April 2010 to March 2011.

Doctors: Pharmacy

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to complete his Department's review of future arrangements for the accreditation of doctors and pharmacists with a special interest; and whether the recommendations and conclusions of the review will be open to public consultation.

Andrew Lansley: The timing of the review of accreditation has been affected by the work of the NHS Future Forum and the Government's response. We are considering next steps on ensuring independent practitioners with a special interest can continue to provide services in the national health service. We will seek the views of interested parties on emerging proposals.

Health Services: Disadvantaged

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps (a) HealthWatch, (b) health and wellbeing boards and (c) Public Health England will take to ensure that (i) homeless people and (ii) other excluded and disadvantaged groups are a priority in the NHS.

Simon Burns: The Government have made tackling health inequalities a priority as part of their commitment to fairness and social justice. Subject to the parliamentary process, Local HealthWatch organisations will be the local consumer voice for patients and the public. Local HealthWatch organisations will be inclusive and reflect the views and experiences of its diverse communities. For the local health and wellbeing boards forthcoming guidance on the Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies, there will be an emphasis on the need to look at the health and care needs of the whole population including vulnerable groups such as rough sleepers.
	In addition, the new Public Health England will have an important role in working with local government, the NHS and other agencies in reducing inequalities—by identifying actions to tackle the wider determinants of health and well-being and by enabling and supporting individuals and communities to improve their own health. The Health and Social Care Bill gives the Secretary of State a clear statutory duty to have regard to the need to reduce health inequalities between the people of England and the new role will place public health at the heart of the wider central Government agenda for the first time.

Health Services: Prisons

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on the provision of health services to prisoners in England in each financial year between 1997-98 and 2010-11; and how much was spent on methadone and the treatment of addiction to banned substances in each such year.

Paul Burstow: Information is not available in respect of health service funding for prisoners before 2003-04, following the transfer of funding responsibility for health services in the publicly run prisons in England from the Home Office to the Department. This transfer process was completed in April 2006, when commissioning responsibility for prison health services was fully devolved to the national health service from the Prison Service.
	Information on total expenditure on medical and psychiatric care for prisoners in the publicly run prisons in England between 2003-04 and 2010-11 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Expenditure on medical and psychiatric care for prisoners in the publicly run prisons in England 2003-04 to 2010-11 
			 £ million 
			  Health care Escorts and bedwatch Annual total 
			 2011-12 231.707 22.968 254.675 
			 2010-11 227.077 22.605 249.682 
			 2009-10 213.376 21.477 234.853 
			 2008-09 204.706 19.96 224.666 
			 2007-08 194.942 n/a 194.942 
			 2006-07 183.553 n/a 183.553 
			 2005-06 170.898 n/a 170.898 
			 2004-05 143.557 n/a 143.557 
			 2003-04 130.079 n/a (1)130.079 
			 n/a = not available (1 )Excludes dental Source: Department of Health 
		
	
	Data are not available on specific expenditure on methadone treatments, but in 2006-07 £11 million was invested by the Department in the prisons Integrated Drug Treatment System (IDTS), which incorporates methadone treatment. IDTS investment increased to £11.5 million in 2007-08, £23.12 million in 2008-09, £39.9 million in 2009-10 and £44.5 million in both 2010-11 and 2011-12.
	In 2011-12, the Department took over responsibility for all drug treatment in prisons across England. £120.4 million has been allocated for 2011-12 for all drug treatment to adult prisoners.

Health Visitors

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of health visitors in Sure Start children centres in each year since 2009;
	(2)  how many new training places for health visitors his Department has created in the last 12 months;
	(3)  how many health visitors have been appointed to (a) existing and (b) newly created posts in 2011 to date.

Anne Milton: There are currently 545 health visitors in training, due to complete their courses in summer 2011.
	There are 1,828 health visitor training commissions planned nationally for the 2011-12 academic year.
	Information relating to numbers of health visitors who: were appointed to existing posts in 2011; were appointed to newly created posts in 2011; and were based in Sure Start Children's Centres in 2009, 2010 and 2011, is not collected centrally.

Hospitals: Construction

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost in 2011 prices of each hospital construction scheme (a) approved, (b) opened and (c) cancelled since 1997.

Simon Burns: The following tables show the information requested for all hospital build schemes with a capital value of £25 million or over (at 1999-2000 prices). The Department does not routinely collect 2010-11 cost estimates for all capital schemes so 2010-11 prices have been estimated for each scheme by uprating the real terms figures using the Treasury's Gross Domestic Product deflator series (published on their website and which we use for such exercises).
	
		
			 NHS Hospital Build Schemes (with a capital cost of £25 million or above at 1990-2000 prices) opened, approved and cancelled since 1997, with capital costs shown at 2010-11 prices 
			 Opened 
			 Strategic   health authority NHS   trust Value at   2010-11 prices  (£ million) Operational   date 
			 North West North Cumbria Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 88 10 April 2000 
			 North West Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 32 1 August 2000 
			 South East Coast Dartford and Gravesham Hospital NHS Trust 124 11 September 2000 
			 South Central Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust 59 17 October 2000 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 41 1 February 2001 
			 London South London NHS Trust (QE) 126 28 February 2001 
			 North East County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust—Dryburn 80 2 April 2001 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust 85 8 April 2001 
			 North West University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust 88 25 July 2001 
			 West Midlands North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust 37 1 September 2001 
			 East of England Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 208 21 September 2001 
			 West Midlands Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust 84 1 March 2002 
			 London Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 71 2 March 2002 
			 West Midlands Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 114 18 March 2002 
			 North East County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust - Bishop Auckland 63 8 June 2002 
			 South Central Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust 111 27 July 2002 
		
	
	
		
			 London King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 99 7 October 2002 
			 South West Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Swindon and Marlborough) 132 3 December 2002 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Leeds Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust 62 16 December 2002 
			 North East Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 37 25 March 2003 
			 London South London NHS Trust (Bromley) 155 29 March 2003 
			 South Central Berkshire Healthcare Foundation NHS Trust 38 29 April 2003 
			 London West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 78 16 May 2003 
			 North East Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 70 12 July 2003 
			 North East South Tees Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 16 1 August 2003 
			 London St George's Healthcare NHS Trust 61 11 September 2003 
			 North West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 50 1 June 2004 
			 West Midlands Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust 68 1 September 2004 
			 London Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust 43 1 September 2004 
			 South West Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 39 13 November 2004 
			 London Barnet PCT 51 15 March 2005 
			 South East Coast Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 42 31 March 2005 
			 West Midlands Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 174 1 April 2005 
			 London University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 548 12 June 2005 
			 London West London Mental Health NHS Trust 44 1 October 2005 
			 London Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust 66 31 October 2005 
			 London Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 30 7 November 2005 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Kirklees PCT 31 14 November 2005 
			 West Midlands Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust 32 28 November 2005 
			 London East London NHS Foundation Trust 42 1 December 2005 
			 South West Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust 36 1 February 2006 
			 North West Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 57 1 March 2006 
			 London Wandsworth Teaching PCT 88 10 March 2006 
			 London North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 83 19 March 2006 
			 North West Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 54 1 April 2006 
			 South Central Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust 54 15 April 2006 
			 North East Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust 37 15 May 2006 
			 North West East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust 36 23 May 2006 
			 South West Avon and Western Wiltshire MH NHS Trust 99 13 June 2006 
			 North West East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust - Blackburn 131 8 July 2006 
			 London Newham University Hospital NHS Trust 66 8 July 2006 
			 West Midlands University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 466 10 July 2006 
			 South Central Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust 63 31 July 2006 
			 East Midlands Northamptonshire Teaching PCT 33 19 September 2006 
			 London The Whittington Hospital NHS Trust 39 20 November 2006 
			 London Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust 84 27 November 2006 
			 London Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 285 6 December 2006 
			 South Central Hampshire PCT 42 2 January 2007 
			 South Central Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust 160 13 January 2007 
			 South Central Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre NHS Trust 45 2 March 2007 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 40 21 April 2007 
			 North East Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust 37 23 April 2007 
			 East of England Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 88 18 May 2007 
			 South East Coast Brighton and Sussex University NHS Trust 42 25 June 2007 
			 London West London Mental Health NHS Trust 30 30 June 2007 
			 East of England Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 68 1 July 2007 
			 London Kingston Hospital NHS Trust 38 3 July 2007 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 309 15 December 2007 
			 East of England Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust 41 3 June 2008 
			 East of England South West Essex PCT 33 18 August 2008 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 77 23 August 2008 
			 North East Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 341 22 September 2008 
			 North West St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trust 374 22 October 2008 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 57 6 February 2009 
			 East of England West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust 42 11 March 2009 
			 South Central Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust 147 19 March 2009 
			 West Midlands University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust 61 26 March 2009 
		
	
	
		
			 East Midlands Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 373 7 April 2009 
			 East of England South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust 34 7 May 2009 
			 South West University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust/North Bristol NHS Trust 71 12 May 2009 
			 East Midlands Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 374 20 May 2009 
			 East Midlands Lincolnshire Teaching PCT 32 8 June 2009 
			 East Midlands Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 38 10 June 2009 
			 South Central Portsmouth Hospitals NHS trust 270 15 June 2009 
			 North West Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 596 8 July 2009 
			 North East Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust and Wear Valleys NHS Trust 80 10 May 2010 
			 West Midlands Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust 182 24 May 2010 
			 London North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust 155 1 June 2010 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust 380 7 June 2010 
			 East Midlands Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust 45 12 June 2010 
			 East Midlands Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 38 15 June 2010 
			 West Midlands University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust/Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust 693 16 June 2010 
			 East of England Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 361 15 November 2010 
			 East of England Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust 159 20 November 2010 
			 North West Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust 117 20 November 2010 
			 South East Coast Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust 327 26 January 2011 
		
	
	
		
			 Approved 
			 Strategic   health authority NHS   trust Value at 2010-11 prices (£ million) 
			 Under Construction   
			 North West Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 204 
			 West Midlands University Hospital of North Staffordshire NHS Trust / Stoke PCT 402 
			 London Barts and the London NHS Trust 1,106 
			 South West North Bristol NHS Trust 430 
			 London Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust 83 
			 North West Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 45 
			 North West Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 31 
			    
			 Outline Business Case Approved   
			 North West Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust 231 
			 East of England Papworth Hospitals 206 
			 North West Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals 454 
			 London Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital 90 
			 North West Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital 200 
		
	
	
		
			 Cancelled 
			 NHS   trust Value at 2010-11 prices (£ million) 
			 Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 32 
			 Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust 32 
			 Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust 97 
			 Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust 66 
			 Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust 17 
			 Hampshire PCT 26 
			 Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 14 
			 Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust 18 
			 East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust 122 
			 Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 135 
			 Imperial College Healthcare/Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Trust—“Paddington Basin” 343 
			 Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust 87 
			 Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust 112 
			 Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust 198 
			 South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 70 
			 University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust 308 
			 United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust 86 
		
	
	
		
			 Southend Hospital NHS Trust 108 
			 Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust 118 
			 Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust 54 
			 Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 246 
			 Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 145 
			 Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust 60 
			 North West London Hospitals NHS Trust 319 
			 Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Trust 209 
			 Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust 42 
			 Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust 63 
			 North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust 485

Mental Health Services

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what means service performance reports on psychological therapies have been placed in the public domain to demonstrate the outcomes that services have delivered.

Paul Burstow: The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme collects from primary care trusts information on the number of people who are moving to recovery as a proportion of those who have completed a course of psychological treatment.
	A copy of the latest data has been placed in the Library and can also be downloaded from the following website:
	https://mqi.ic.nhs.uk/IndicatorDefaultView.aspx?ref=1.07.12

Mental Health Services

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the availability of psychotherapy in the NHS.

Paul Burstow: No such assessment has been made. It is for the national health service locally to decide how best to meet the needs of its local populations and in doing so it is free to commission a wide range of psychotherapeutic services. In addition, the Department recommends evidence-based, and preferably National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) approved, therapies for the treatment of common mental health problems.
	Following the publication of NICE guidelines for depression in October 2009, the Improving Access to Psychological Therapy programme is now beginning to offer a choice of four new NICE approved therapies for the treatment of moderate to severe depression in addition to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. They are: Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Counselling for Depression, Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy, and Couples Therapy for Depression.

NHS Direct

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost was of providing an answer to a call to NHS Direct in each financial year since 1997; and how many calls NHS Direct received in each such year.

Simon Burns: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the following table:
	
		
			 Calls to NHS Direct (0845 4647 only) 
			  Cost per call (£) Number of calls (  thousand  ) 
			 2003-04 23.26 5,244 
			 2004-05 23.13 5,369 
			 2005-06 26.34 5,522 
			 2006-07 25.83 5,018 
			 2007-08 26.10 4,855 
			 2008-09 26.69 5,051 
			 2009-10 25.75 4,920 
			 2010-11 26.24 4,699 
			 Source: Unpublished but validated data. 
		
	
	This information refers solely to calls to NHS Direct’s 0845 4647 service. Data are not available prior to 2003-04 as NHS Direct was not a national organisation at the time.

NHS: Empty Property

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of NHS buildings that are vacant or unused.

Simon Burns: Information is not collected centrally on national health service buildings that are vacant or unused.
	NHS organisations are locally responsible for maintaining and managing their buildings and facilities.

NHS: Equality

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of compliance with the provisions of the Equality Act 2010.

Paul Burstow: The Department does not hold this information centrally. Information about the estimated costs of compliance with the provisions of the Equality Act 2010 has been published by the Government Equalities Office.

NHS: Labour Mobility

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2011, Official Report, column 874W, on NHS: labour mobility, how many people have been made redundant by primary care trusts and subsequently re-employed within the NHS (a) directly and (b) on a temporary or contract basis since 1 January 2011.

Simon Burns: Between 1 January 2011 and 31 March 2011, the estimated number of staff re-employed within the national health service on a permanent basis, having previously been made redundant from a primary care trust (PCT), is 30. During the same period, the estimated number of staff re-employed within the NHS on a fixed-term basis, having previously been made redundant from a PCT, is 20.
	Of the 30 re-employed on a permanent basis, 15 were made redundant during January 2010 to December 2010, and 15 were made redundant during January 2011 to March 2011.
	Of the 20 re-employed on a fixed-term basis, 15 were made redundant during January 2010 to December 2010, and five were made redundant during January 2011 to March 2011.
	These figures are based on the latest published redundancy information and are in addition to the 40 made redundant between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2010 and re-employed during that year on a permanent basis, and the 20 re-employed on a fixed-term basis, given in my answer of 29 June 2011, Official Report, column 874W.
	These estimates are based on data extracted from the Electronic Staff Record Data Warehouse and therefore do not include staff who may have been re-employed by general practices, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust or Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

NHS: Reorganisation

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that national priorities and commitments are maintained and fulfilled at a local level following the implementation of his proposals for reform of the NHS.

Simon Burns: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Islington North (Jeremy Corbyn) on 7 June 2011, Official Report, column 88W.

Nurses: Bureaucracy

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mandatory forms nurses were required to complete in the course of their duties in (a) 1997 and (b) 2010.

Paul Burstow: We do not collect this information centrally. Some administrative tasks, including record keeping, are an essential part of the nursing role in delivering safe and effective patient care. The number of forms completed will depend on the type of nursing role, the needs of patients and the requirements of the organisation.

Pharmacies: Public Health

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the role of community pharmacies in promoting public health.

Simon Burns: Community pharmacy has come a long way in delivering public health services in people's local communities—from services to help people stop smoking, improve their sexual health to needle exchange schemes for drug misusers and promoting healthy lifestyles.
	As set out in the NHS White Paper, ‘Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS’, pharmacists, working with doctors and other health professionals, have an important and expanding role in optimising the use of medicines and in supporting better health.
	In addition, the public health White Paper ‘Healthy People, Healthy Lives’, makes clear there is real potential to use community pharmacy teams more effectively to improve health and well-being and reduce health inequalities.
	Following on from this, the Government's Chief Pharmaceutical Officer has met with the Faculty of Public Health, the Association of Directors of Public Health, the Royal Society of Public Health and the Local Government Association to discuss how best to utilise and develop pharmacy's contribution to public health. Their response has been very positive, with considerable enthusiasm and support for pharmacy to contribute more to the broader public health agenda in the future.
	We are now considering how best to further expand pharmacy's role in delivering public health services.

Pharmacies: Public Health

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to support the Healthy Living Pharmacy Pathfinder initiative.

Simon Burns: The concept of a “healthy living pharmacy” was highlighted as a case study in the public health White Paper ‘Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS’.
	The Department welcomes the initiative taken by the main pharmacy representative organisations to promote and support the spread of healthy living pharmacies. The Department is represented on the steering group for this project and looks forward to the evaluation of the pathfinder sites, to see if the results obtained in Portsmouth can be replicated in other parts of the country.

Pharmacies: Smoking Cessation

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to his Department's White Paper, Healthy Lives, Healthy People, what steps his Department has taken to strengthen its partnership working with pharmacies to promote effective smoking cessation routes.

Anne Milton: Stop smoking services are the most common locally commissioned service under the community pharmacy contractual framework. For example, in 2009-10, 5,612 stop smoking services were provided locally by community pharmacies. Recent initiatives to improve the impact of pharmacies in their smoking cessation activities include:
	The Department worked closely with pharmacy partners across England between January and March 2011 to pilot a new approach to distributing the NHS Quit Kit—a box of practical tools and support that has been developed to help smokers quit for good.
	Through the Department and the Cabinet Office Behaviour Change Unit, the Government are collaborating with Boots to pilot and assess the use of behavioural insights alongside improvement to the quality and length of services provided within the NHS-commissioned stop smoking service provided by Boots.
	The results will help inform how publicly commissioned pharmacy local stop smoking services providers can best develop their service offer to help smokers to quit in the future.
	In early 2009, the Department commissioned Portsmouth Primary Care Trust (PCT) to develop an evidence-based commissioning framework based on public health need for healthy living pharmacies (HLPs). By May 2011, seven out of 38 pharmacies in Portsmouth had been awarded HLP status. These pharmacies have to demonstrate consistent, high-quality delivery of a range of services such as stopping smoking, weight management, emergency hormonal contraception, Chlamydia screening, advice on alcohol and reviews of the use of their medicines. Interim results indicate that community pharmacies have delivered a total of 664 smoking quits, which exceeds the PCTs annual target of 480 by 38%.
	The Department has commissioned the provision of an evidence-based training and assessment programme from the NHS Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training that is freely available to pharmacists and their teams, and other health care professionals, and which leads to significant improvements in the support offered to smokers wanting to quit.

Radiotherapy

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the levels of support which will be required by commissioners in order to commission radiotherapy services;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to support the implementation of intensity-modulated radiation therapy in at least one centre per network by 2012;
	(3)  what proportion of patients receiving radiotherapy for breast cancer were treated using intensity-modulated radiation therapy in the latest period for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: “The Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2011/12” sets out that, to improve outcomes from radiotherapy treatment for cancer patients, commissioners should develop local plans to ensure that access rates to radiotherapy and the use of advanced radiotherapy techniques, such as Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT), are appropriate for their populations. The National Cancer Action Team has been working with providers to support the development of IMRT services and, at this time, 20 of the 28 cancer networks have at least one provider offering IMRT.
	It is not possible to identify IMRT from other forms of radiotherapy treatment within the Hospital Episode Statistics available to the Department. The Department is working with the national health service to implement a national radiotherapy dataset, and the dataset project team is working with providers to improve collection of data on IMRT.
	Release of the radiotherapy dataset is governed by the Radiotherapy Clinical Information Group (RCIG). RCIG has decided to produce a report on the dataset collection for 2009-10, which is due for publication shortly. RCIG is also planning to release the full dataset via the cancer commissioning toolkit (CCT) by the end of the year. The CCT gives commissioners access to high quality data about cancer services across the treatment pathway, allows providers and commissioners to benchmark their performance against one another and supports commissioners to deliver cancer services for local populations.
	To support the commissioning of radiotherapy services in the reformed NHS, we will shortly be publishing a transitional update to the Cancer Commissioning Guidance, first published in January 2009. This best practice document sets out key issues and questions that commissioners and cancer network teams will wish to take into consideration when assessing local health needs and when reviewing cancer services. The guidance is intended to complement the CCT.

Skin Cancer

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the average length of stay was for patients admitted with a diagnosis of skin cancer for (a) elective admissions and (b) emergency admissions in each (i) primary care trust, (ii) cancer network and (iii) strategic health authority in the last year for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many non-urgent referrals resulting in a diagnosis of skin cancer were made in each primary care trust in the last year for which figures are available;
	(3)  how many non-urgent referrals were made for dermatology in each primary care trust in the last year for which figures are available;
	(4)  how many two week referrals were made for patients with a diagnosis of skin cancer in each primary care trust in the last year for which figures are available.

Paul Burstow: Information concerning the average length of stay for patients admitted with a diagnosis of skin cancer for elective admissions and emergency admissions in each primary care trust (PCT) and strategic health authority in 2009-10, the latest year for which figures are available, has been placed in the Library. This information is not collected at cancer network level.
	Information concerning the number of non-urgent referrals that were made for dermatology in each PCT in 2009-10, the latest year for which figures are available, has been placed in the Library.
	Information concerning the number of non-urgent referrals resulting in a diagnosis of skin cancer in each PCT is not available in the format requested. For the most recent period for which statistics are available (quarter 4 2010-11) 61,197 persons received first definitive treatment for cancer. Of these, 25,834, or 42.2% were urgently referred for suspected cancer by their general practitioner (GP).
	Information concerning the number of two-week referrals made for patients with a diagnosis of skin cancer in each PCT in the last year for which figures are available is not available in the format requested. Statistics on the numbers of urgent GP referrals for suspected cancer by PCT are not published at a cancer specific level. The most recently published commissioner based statistics for the all cancer two week wait cover the period April 2009 to March 2010 and have been placed in the Library.
	Statistics on urgent GP referrals for suspected cancer are more regularly published on a provider basis. For the most recent period for which these statistics are available (quarter 4 2010-11) 38,723 persons were urgently referred for suspected skin cancer by their GP and 96% of these patients were seen by a specialist within 14 days.

Skin Cancer

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to review its guidance, “Skin cancer: prevention using public information, sun protection resources and changes to the environment”; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: In an earlier answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Guildford (Anne Milton), on 4 March 2011, Official Report, column 673W, we stated that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued the public health guidance “Skin cancer: prevention using public information, sun protection resources and changes to the environment” on 26 January 2010, when the guidance was in fact published on 26 January 2011.
	NICE will review whether this guidance should be updated three years after publication, but will consider the need for an earlier review in the light of any new evidence submitted to it.

Smoking: Health Services

Gavin Barwell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people attended NHS Stop Smoking services in the last year for which figures are available; and how many such people set a quit date;
	(2)  how many people who attended NHS Stop Smoking services who (a) set and (b) did not set a quit date successfully stopped smoking after (i) four weeks, (ii) three months, (iii) six months and (iv) 12 months in the latest year for which figures are available.

Anne Milton: Information for NHS Stop Smoking services is not available in the format requested, because we do not collect data on the number of people who do not set a quit date. However, information is available on the number of people setting a quit date and the number of people who had successfully quit at the four week follow up. This information can be found in Table 2.1 in “Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services: England, April 2009 to March 2010”, which is available at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/sss0910
	This publication has already been placed in the Library.
	Furthermore, information on the number of people who successfully quit at three months, six months and 12 months is also not collected.

Smoking: Health Services

Gavin Barwell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effectiveness of the NHS Stop Smoking Service; and whether he assessed the merits of conducting a randomised controlled trial of the NHS Stop Smoking Service.

Anne Milton: The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme is currently funding a range of randomised controlled trials and other research on smoking cessation. Details of these projects are available on the programme website at:
	www.hta.ac.uk/project/index.asp
	References to research evidence on smoking cessation are available in “Public Health Guidance 10 Smoking cessation services”, published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in February 2008 and “Local Stop Smoking Services: Service delivery and monitoring guidance 2011-12”, published by the Department in March 2011. These documents have been placed in the Library.

Smoking: Health Services

Gavin Barwell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the public purse was of the NHS Stop Smoking Service in 2010-11; and how much the service spent on (a) nicotine replacement therapy, (b) Zyban or Bupropion, (c) Champix or Varenicline and (d) other drugs and interventions.

Paul Burstow: Information on expenditure by type of pharmacotherapy is not available in the format requested. The NHS Information Centre holds information showing the overall number of smoking cessation prescription items prescribed by general practitioners, nurses, pharmacists and others dispensed in the community in England in 2009-10, and the corresponding net ingredient cost of these items, but it is not possible to identify the proportion of these figures that relate to NHS Stop Smoking Services. Overall figures relating to all smoking cessation prescription items dispensed into the community are published in footnote four of Table 4.1 of “Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services: England, April 2009 to March 2010”.
	Information on expenditure is contained in Table 4.5 of “Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services: England, April 2009 to March 2010”. This table shows the number of people who successfully quit, total expenditure and average cost per quitter for NHS Stop Smoking Services in each year from 2001-02 to 2009-10.
	“Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services: England, April 2009 to March 2010” is available at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/sss0910
	This publication has already been placed in the Library.

Smoking: Health Services

Gavin Barwell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the average cost to the public purse of each patient who gives up smoking as a result of services provided by the NHS Stop Smoking Service.

Paul Burstow: The data for the number of smokers successfully quitting, total expenditure and the average cost of a quitter in each year from 2001-02 to 2009-10 is contained in Table 4.5 of “Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services: England, April 2009 to March 2010”, which is available at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/sss0910
	This publication has already been placed in the Library.
	The data for 2010-11 is expected to be published next month.

Tomography: Medical Records

Mark Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS spent on storing radiology records in (a) 2006, (b) 2007, (c) 2008, (d) 2009 and (e) 2010.

Simon Burns: This information is not held centrally. The method of storage depends on individual trusts and the type of records being stored. For electronic radiology records some trusts chose to store them locally whereas others use one of the four central stores which are available for this purpose. The charges incurred for storage and maintenance of electronic records held by the central stores are as follows:
	
		
			 Financial year Charges incurred (£) 
			 2006-07 5,841,000 
			 2007-08 15,177,000 
			 2008-09 16,361,000 
			 2009-10 23,268,000 
			 2010-11 28,240,000

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Personal Records

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to reduce the period during which military service records are not disclosed.

Andrew Robathan: We have no plans so to do.

Aviation: Aircraft Carriers

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of (a) operating (i) aircraft from Italy and (ii) an aircraft carrier within 20 miles of Libya for (A) one and (B) three months and (b) moving an aircraft carrier from the UK to Libya.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 17 June 2011
	I will write to the hon. Member shortly.
	Substantive answer from Nick Harvey to Andrew Turner:
	I promised to write to you on 17 June regarding your tabled question in the House about the cost of operating aircraft in support of the UK mission in Libya.
	As the Secretary of State reported to the House on 23 June (Official Report, column 24WS), the current estimate of the net additional costs of military operations for six months in support of Operation Ellamy—the United Kingdom's contribution to coalition operations in support of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973—is in the region of £120 million. This excludes costs associated with capital munitions expended. You asked specifically about the costs of operating aircraft from Italy which, I am afraid, can not be broken out separately as the information is not held in that format.
	Based upon current consumption rates we estimate the cost of replenishing munitions may be up to £140 million.
	You also asked about the cost of moving and operating an aircraft carrier off the coast of Libya. As the UK does not currently maintain a carrier strike capability we have not prepared cost estimates for a hypothetical scenario. Historic costs for the previous capability are not a good guide as it is impossible to know how NATO would have used such a capability if it had been available and offered, whether alongside or instead of the British aircraft currently contributing to the operation. Hence it is impossible to estimate some key cost drivers such as weapons expenditure and flying hours.
	I am sorry I cannot be more helpful.

Beyond Visual Air-to-Air Missile Programme

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what recent progress his Department has made on the Beyond Visual Air-to-Air Missile programme; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent estimate he has made of the total cost of the Beyond Visual Air-to-Air Missile programme;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of how many missiles will be supplied to the armed forces under the Beyond Visual Air-to-Air Missile programme.

Peter Luff: The six-nation Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) programme is currently in the final stages of its demonstration phase. Missile deliveries are on schedule to begin as planned in 2012. Integration on to Typhoon forms part of the programme, with an anticipated initial operating capability in 2015.
	As stated in the major projects report 2010, the estimated total cost of the UK share of the assessment, demonstration and manufacture phases of the BVRAAM programme is £1,325 million.
	Information relating to future in-service BVRAAM stock levels is being withheld for the purpose of safeguarding national security and because its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

Departmental Contracts

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts his Department plans to renegotiate; and with which companies he has begun such negotiations.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence's renegotiation programme was initiated to support the strategic defence and security review, through contract termination, re-scoping or deferral. Over 500 contracts across 100 programmes are estimated to be affected and the Ministry of Defence is examining over 300 of these in the first instance. We expect the process of renegotiation to take around 18 months, with the initial focus being on those contracts which will deliver the highest savings in 2011-12. We have already renegotiated around 30 contracts with BAE Systems and Rolls Royce relating to the Nimrod and Harrier programmes.

Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what recent progress his Department has made on the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent estimate he has made of the total cost to the public purse of the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of how many planes will be supplied to the armed forces under the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme.

Peter Luff: The Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme is making good progress and remains within its approved performance, cost and time boundaries. The first two aircraft, Airbus A330-200, converted to military specification are currently undergoing flight testing. At RAF Brize Norton, Air Tanker Ltd has built a hangar and operations centre, maintenance and training facilities. These have been completed ahead of schedule in readiness for introduction to service later in 2011.
	The current forecast whole life cost is £12 billion; this includes the private finance initiative (PFI) contract cost and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) costs, such as fuel and RAF manpower that fall outside the PFI contract. The flexibility within the contract allows the MOD to optimise value for money by exploiting the aircraft to the utmost. We are also investigating options with international partners on how best to utilise any spare capacity.
	Under the PFI contract 14 aircraft will be available to the MOD by September 2016. These will be made available incrementally with the first aircraft being introduced into service in late 2011. The air-to-air refuelling capability will be available with the first aircraft in 2011 and is on schedule to meet the approved in-service date for air-to-air refuelling of 2014 with the delivery of the ninth aircraft. The final five aircraft will be delivered up to September 2016.

Libya: Public Expenditure

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 16 May 2011, Official Report, column 79W, on Libya: public expenditure and the oral answer to the hon. Member for Chichester (Mr Tyrie) from the Chancellor of the Exchequer of 22 March 2011, Official Report, column 850, on what date his Department amended its initial estimate of the cost of the UK contribution to coalition operations in support of UN Security Council Resolution 1973 to (a) the figure given in the answer of 16 May 2011 and (b) the figure given on 23 June 2011, Official Report, column 44WS; and what the reason was for the change in each such estimate.

Liam Fox: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has been progressively refining its estimates in the light of the changing operational environment. As was made clear in the answers given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), on 22 March 2011, Official Report, column 850, and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Danny Alexander), on 16 May 2011, Official Report, column 79W, it was too early at that time to provide a robust estimate of the costs of the operations in Libya. The statement I made on 23 June 2011,
	Official Report
	, column 24WS, provided an estimate for a six-month period. Costs will continue to be accounted for and reported to Parliament in MOD accounts.

Military Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flights the UK has made under the NATO Strategic Airlift Interim Solution since December 2009; what the (a) total cost and (b) cost per flight has been; and which aircraft were used.

Peter Luff: In financial years 2009-10 and 2010-11 a total of £21 million was spent on 46 tasks involving the use of Antonov AN-124 aircraft for strategic airlift. The average cost of each task was around £450,000. The forecast for financial year 2011-12 is that some £12 million will be spent on some 25 tasks.

Military Aircraft

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what progress his Department has made on the Watchkeeper project; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the total cost of the Watchkeeper project;
	(3)  how many unmanned aerial vehicles will be supplied to the armed forces under the Watchkeeper programme.

Peter Luff: The Watchkeeper Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) is being developed and manufactured at UAV Tactical Systems Ltd, the Thales UK/Elbit Systems joint venture company site in Leicester. Flight trials are currently taking place at Parc Aberporth, West Wales and it is planned that Watchkeeper will deploy to Afghanistan with an initial operating capability at the end of this year.
	The cost of the Watchkeeper programme is just under £1 billion and it is planned that 54 Watchkeeper UAVs will be built for use by UK armed forces.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Research

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the communiqué of the recent G20 Agriculture Ministers meeting in Paris, what steps she plans to take to strengthen agricultural research and innovation.

James Paice: The Government invest about £400 million per annum in agriculture and food research, including up to £90 million over five years through the TSB Sustainable Agriculture Food Platform, which provides a key mechanism for driving innovation by providing co-funding for industry-led innovation in agriculture and technology transfer.
	Government funders, industry and third sector are working together through the Government Chief Scientist Partnership and the Global Food Security Programme to ensure that multi-disciplinary research being funded is robust, relevant and provides value For money.
	To strengthen agricultural research and innovation, the Government are actively building links and joint initiatives, for example through membership of the EU Joint Programming Initiative which aims to maximise member state benefit from RD funding, and the Global Research Alliance which aims to find ways of reducing greenhouse gases through international collaboration.
	The Government will continue to develop and build on these partnerships, for example by contributing to the coordination of the International Research Initiative for Wheat announced at the G20 meeting in Paris.

Climate Change

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the potential effect of global warming on sea levels around the UK.

Richard Benyon: The most recent Government-funded assessment made of the potential effect of global warming on sea level rise around the UK comes from DEFRA's UK Climate Projections (UKCP09), released in June 2009.
	UKCP09 outlines three plausible scenarios with sea level rises ranging between 20cm and 90cm (relative to the 1961-90 average) by 2100. An additional climate scenario presented in UKCP09 describes a plausible, but highly uncertain, extreme scenario for long-term sea level rise contingency planning, which projects a sea level rise of up to 1.9m also by 2100.

Food: Prices

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make an assessment of the potential effects of current levels of crop growth for biofuel production on food price.

James Paice: In 2010 DEFRA published a report on the causes of the 2007-08 agricultural price spikes, which included an annex: “The role of demand for biofuel in the agricultural commodity price spikes of 2007/08”. This report is available at:
	http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/security/price.htm
	Additionally, in 2008 DEFRA published the report “The impact of biofuels on commodity prices,” reviewing the existing research on the impact of biofuels on commodity and food prices. This report is available at:
	http://www.archive.defra.gov.uk/evidence/series/documents/impact-biofuels-commodities.pdf

Food: Prices

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contribution her Department plans to make to the Rapid Response Forum on the mitigation of global food price rises.

James Paice: DEFRA will participate enthusiastically in these initiatives. It is too early to say what form our contribution will take.

Forests

Angela Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what the cost to her Department has been of the consultation on the future of the public forest estate in England;
	(2)  how much her Department spent on external consultants as part of the consultation on the future of the public forest estate in England.

James Paice: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 16 March 2011, Official Report, column 325W.

National Forest

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many hectares of new woodland were created in the National Forest in 2010; and if she will assess the prospects for future new woodland creation in that area.

James Paice: The National Forest Company created 195 hectares of new woodland in the planting season 2010-11.
	The National Forest Company estimates that it will create 150 hectares of woodland in 2011-12, and in the three years following it expects to plant in the range of 150 to 175 hectares, depending on a number of factors including land availability.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent progress has been made on the Affordable Homes programme in Richmond, London.

Grant Shapps: The Homes and Communities Agency has received a very encouraging response from providers for new affordable homes in 2011-15. These offers are now being assessed and we expect allocations to be announced shortly with initial contracts expected to be signed in September.
	We have set out specific arrangements for London, given our commitment to devolve investment powers to the Mayor. We have said that we will seek to deliver a similar percentage of new affordable homes in London from the new programme as previously. This will depend on the relative value for money of offers in London and elsewhere.

Council Tax: Overpayments

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what requirements there are on the Valuation Office Agency to repay any (a) overpayment and (b) interest lost due to overpayment of council tax in circumstances where (i) the property was incorrectly valued and (ii) any overpayment was due to a mistake made by the resident.

Bob Neill: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her by the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for South West Hertfordshire (Mr Gauke), on 5 July 2011, Official Report, column 1125W.

Departmental Billing

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many invoices received by his Department were paid (a) on time and (b) late in each month since May 2010; and what the monetary value was of invoices paid late.

Bob Neill: The following table shows how many invoices have been (a) paid on time and (b)late in each month since May 2010. The monetary value of the invoices paid late is also shown.
	
		
			  (a) Number of invoices paid on time  (1) % paid on time (b) Number of invoices paid late  (2) % paid late Monetary value of invoices paid late  (3)   (£) 
			 2010      
			 May 2,997 76.94 691 23.06 7,492,744 
			 June 2,985 80.03 596 19.97 8,500,274 
			 July 2,795 79.25 580 20.75 12,045,928 
			 August 2,479 79.43 510 20.57 7,699,845 
			 September 2,420 83.55 398 16.45 7,965,303 
			 October 2,676 83.18 450 16.82 5,609,025 
			 November 2,513 81.93 454 18.07 10,872,191 
			 December 2,030 82.12 363 17.88 9,938,899 
			 2011      
			 January 2,097 81.12 396 18.88 8,216,391 
			 February 1,992 79.07 417 20.93 7,680,871 
			 March 2,335 75.89 563 24.11 13,583,804 
			 April 1,751 79.10 366 20.9 25,057,281 
			 May 1,411 84.05 225 15.95 5,069,423 
			 (1 )Within five days of receipt. (2 )After five days of receipt. (3) Excludes the value of late payments made by the Planning Inspectorate between May 2010 and July 2010 as these data are not available. 
		
	
	As a comparison the following table shows how many invoices were paid (a) paid on time and (b) late in each month between April 2009 and April 2010. Between April 2009 and April 2010 the Department's payment target was to pay 90% of all supplier invoices within 10 days of receipt. The monetary value of the invoices paid late is also shown.
	
		
			  (a) Number of invoices paid on time  (1) % paid on time (b) Number of invoices paid late  (2) % paid late Monetary value of invoices paid late (£) 
			 2009      
			 April 5,404 83.55 889 16.45 7,075,072 
			 May 4,221 91.83 345 8.17 4,102,415 
			 June 5,026 90.53 476 9.47 13,644,082 
			 July 5,166 92.26 400 7.74 4,974,043 
			 August 4,557 89.88 461 10.12 5,721,211 
			 September 4,730 90.59 445 9.41 3,202,750 
			 October 4,803 93.38 318 6.62 2,944,763 
			 November 4,518 93.01 316 6.99 8,633,352 
			 December 3,782 92.91 268 7.09 6,588,669 
			 2010      
			 January 4,249 89.08 464 10.92 11,959,088 
			 February 4,195 90.44 401 9.56 5,715,524 
			 March 5,963 92.35 456 7.65 5,091,132 
			 April 4,238 90.89 386 9.11 7,909,919 
			 (1) Within 10 days of receipt. (2) After 10 days of receipt. 
		
	
	The five day target is more demanding than the 10 day target which operated previously, and we are improving systems and processes to help meet it.

Empty Property: Greater London

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department has estimated the number of empty homes in (a) Greater London and (b) Hendon constituency.

Bob Neill: As at October 2010, the latest date that information is available, there were 79,971 empty dwellings in London, of these 3,679 were in the London borough of Barnet.
	The data are as reported by local authorities and are a snapshot taken in the autumn each year. Data are collected at local authority level and it is not possible to provide data at constituency level.
	In this answer, empty dwellings includes both long-term and short-term empty dwellings.

Fire Services

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he last met representatives of the (a) Chief Fire Officers Association and (b) Fire Brigades Union to discuss fire control issues.

Bob Neill: I last met representatives of (a) the Chief Fire Officers Association on 8 February 2011 and (b) Fire Brigades Union on 22 March 2011 to discuss fire control issues.

Fire Services

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he last met representatives of (a) Control Centre General Partner, (b) AAIM Warrington Unit Trust, (c) Canada Life, (d) Aviva and (e) Leafrange to discuss the FiReControl estate; and from which of those companies submissions were received as part of his Department's consultation on the future of fire and rescue control services in England.

Bob Neill: Ministers have not met representatives of these organisations to discuss the FiReControl estate. None of the organisations submitted a response to the recent consultation.

Fire Services

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will assess the recommendations in the report of the Local Government Association's Fire Commission on the future of the Fire Service College; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: As was said in the Government's response to the Fire Futures Reports, we very much welcome the leadership and commitment the Local Government Association have shown in respect of securing the future of the Fire Service College. We will take their findings and recommendations into account in taking forward the future options work to deliver a new operation and governance model for the Fire Service College which, through greater involvement from other sectors, secures its future.

Fire Services: Private Sector

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which fire and rescue authorities are seeking to outsource fire control provision; what stage has been reached in each case; what his policy is on outsourcing fire control; and what guidance his Department provides to fire authorities on outsourcing fire control.

Bob Neill: As I made clear in my statement to the House on 13 January 2011, Official Report, column 22WS, no solution will be imposed by the Government on fire and rescue authorities in making decisions on the future of their control services. I am aware that a number of fire and rescue authorities have plans to outsource their control services to another authority or consortium, thereby improving efficiency and resilience. I welcome this increased collaboration. However, fire and rescue authorities are the experts in running control services and do not require guidance from central Government on this.
	I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement on Fire Control made to the House on 5 July 2011, Official Report, columns 82-83WS.

Fire Services: Private Sector

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the provisions of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 apply to fire control staff transferring to the private sector; and if he will ensure that the revised version of the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice on Staff Transfers in the Public Sector 2000 is applied to any transfer of such staff within the public sector.

Bob Neill: This is a matter for fire and rescue authorities to consider as the employers of fire control staff.

Homelessness

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has for local accountability mechanisms to monitor the effects of community empowerment on the provision of services to (a) homeless people and (b) other vulnerable groups.

Grant Shapps: Through the Localism Bill we are introducing major reforms to public services and providing new rights for communities, promoting transparency and strengthening local democracy and this means that local democratic processes will become even more important and councillors all the more essential as we push power to the most local level possible.
	A local authority's statutory homelessness duties remain and there is no means by which this might be weakened. Local housing authorities will still be required to secure suitable accommodation for households who are eligible for assistance, homeless through no fault of their own and in ‘priority need'.
	We know that sometimes people may need support and that some areas will require more help than others. That is why we are putting measures in place to remove the institutional barriers to taking collective action such as supporting participatory budgeting which can help improve understanding of the complexities of public budgets and democratic structures, and it can specifically address the needs of vulnerable groups.

Homelessness: Finance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information he holds on the level of expenditure by each local authority to support people sleeping rough in each of the last five years.

Grant Shapps: The following table shows Department for Communities and Local Government homelessness grant funding for the years requested.
	
		
			 Homelessness grant funding 2006-07 to 2010-11 
			  L  A  s (£ million) Voluntary organisations (£ million) Total 
			 2006-07 49.5 18 67.5 
			 2007-08 51 19.5 70.5 
		
	
	
		
			 2008-09 59.5 17.1 76.5 
			 2009-10 59.51 18.4 77.9 
			 2010-11 74.11 18.7 92.8 
		
	
	In addition the Department currently collects retrospective year-end spend data from top-tier local authorities via the Supporting People Local Systems data set. This includes ‘spend' broken down by Supporting People primary client groups including ‘rough sleepers'. Supporting People provides housing related support services to vulnerable people including rough sleepers.
	
		
			 Total spend by Supporting People top-tier authority per primary client group 
			  Rough sleeper   (£) 
			 2005-06 16,259,386 
			 2006-07 17,485,753 
			 2007-08 18,776,088 
			 2008-09 18,916,951 
			 2009-10 19,661,062 
			 Source: Supporting People Local Systems data 
		
	
	Spend data to cover financial year 2010-11 are not available yet.
	This Government takes homelessness very seriously, which is why we are maintaining investment in homelessness grant at £100 million a year for each of the next four years to support local authorities and the voluntary sector in their work to tackle homelessness.

Homes and Communities Agency: Apprentices

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 13 June 2011, Official Report, column 599W, on the Homes and Communities Agency: apprentices, 
	(1)  how many apprenticeships were registered with the National Apprenticeship Service by the Homes and Communities Agency in 2010-11;
	(2)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the Homes and Communities Agency's procedures for monitoring and recording information on the number of apprenticeship places created using Homes and Communities Agency funding.

Grant Shapps: The Homes and Communities Agency does not register apprenticeships with the National Apprenticeship Service, as this would duplicate the efforts of its partners with whom that responsibility lies.
	The agency's partners report using the definition of an apprenticeship which has been agreed with the National Apprenticeship Service. This definition and the agency's procedures for monitoring are set out in its guidance for partners made available through its website:
	http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/ourwork/job-creation
	I am arranging for a copy of the document to be placed in the Library of the House.

Housing: Ex-servicemen

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consideration his Department has given to assisting (a) service personnel serving overseas and (b) veterans to buy their first home.

Grant Shapps: Following the Armed Forces Housing summit that I chaired in May, I promoted armed forces to the top national priority group for assistance (alongside social tenants) under our new Firstbuy equity loan scheme and for Government-funded shared ownership homes.
	This means that serving members of the armed forces, as well as those recently retired, will now be at the front of the queue to benefit from these schemes. And to make sure they know about the scheme, I am sending special housing agents (Homebuy Agents) to bases, both at home and abroad, to help armed forces personnel maximise their access to Firstbuy and other affordable home ownership schemes. The agents will explain how schemes work and discuss options to ensure that service personnel have the greatest opportunity to benefit.
	My officials, alongside the Ministry of Defence, are also working with credit reference agencies and Royal Mail to tackle the barriers which can disadvantage service or ex-service personnel in securing a mortgage.

Industrial Health and Safety

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has estimated the cost to local authorities of implementing the recommendations of the Common Sense, Common Safety report in respect of (a) conducting an internal review of each refusal to allow an event to take place and (b) the payment of damages by the Local Government Ombudsman where an event was found to have been incorrectly banned on the grounds of health and safety.

Bob Neill: The Government have committed to implement the recommendations in the report “Common Sense, Common Safety” in relation to the banning of events by councils on the grounds of health and safety. We are working with the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr Chope) to implement these recommendations through his Local Government Ombudsman (Amendment) Private Member's Bill. An impact assessment relating to the content of the amended Bill will be published in due course.

Local Development Frameworks

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether people will be given powers to challenge the evidence used by their local authority in determining its local development plan; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: Existing legislation enables communities to make representations on, and contribute to, evidence that local authorities gather at specific statutory stages in the preparation of local plans. Local people can also request to appear at the public examination to which council prepared development plans must be submitted, and make their views known to the independent planning inspector who tests whether the plan is suitable for adoption including an assessment of the evidence used in preparing the plan.
	The Government are introducing new powers in the Localism Bill to enable communities to have a further say on shaping development in their area and to make decisions through neighbourhood planning.

Local Development Frameworks

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what authority local authorities have to develop their own local development frameworks; by what mechanism he proposes that disputes between local authorities are to be decided; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 allows local councils to prepare planning documents which, taken as a whole, set out the policies relating to the development and use of land in their area.
	The Localism Bill places a duty on local councils to co-operate with each other in planning for sustainable development. The Bill will amend the 2004 Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act so that councils will not be allowed to adopt statutory development plans where they have not satisfied an independent planning inspector that they have complied with this duty to co-operate.

Local Government

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether local authorities are required to work with neighbouring authorities in developing joint core strategies; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: Councils should set out policies relating to the development and use of land in their area. They have the ability to plan with neighbouring authorities if they wish. The mechanism to produce joint statutory development plans is set out in existing legislation.
	The Government are bringing forward proposals in the Localism Bill to ensure local councils work together in planning for sustainable development. Councils will be required to consider whether to prepare joint planning documents on matters that cross local planning authority boundaries.

Non-domestic Rates

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the likely change in the aggregate income of (a) the City of Westminster and (b) the City of Sheffield between 2011-12 and 2012-13 attributable to the Deputy Prime Minister's proposals for the future apportionment of business rates.

Bob Neill: No estimate has been made of the likely change in the aggregate income of (a) the City of Westminster and (b) the City of Sheffield between 2011-12 and 2012-13.

Planning: Floods

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will amend national planning guidance to prevent developments on flood plains or in flood risk areas; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: The new draft National Planning Policy Framework, which will consolidate all planning policy into one document, will be published for consultation in July. The Framework will contain policy on the avoidance and management of the risk of flooding to development.

Public Order Offences: Byelaws

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he plans to take steps to enable local authorities to introduce bye-laws relating to spitting in public places; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: Spitting in a public place is an antisocial, unpleasant and unhealthy practice. Any byelaw application will be considered on a case by case basis, on its merits.

Waste Disposal

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on any relationship between rates of recycling and the frequency of bin collections.

Bob Neill: We believe the public have a reasonable expectation that their household waste collections should be weekly, particularly for smelly waste. My Department does not hold centrally the frequency data requested. However, we will be working with the Waste and Resources Action Programme to monitor levels of service, and my Department is examining how we can increase the frequency and cost-efficiency of waste collections.
	We want to make it easier to recycle, including by encouraging incentive schemes like Recyclebank, and to tackle measures which encouraged councils to cut the scope of collections. That is why we have already ditched the last Government's policy of imposing fortnightly collections.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Low-carbon Economy

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of progress towards a low-carbon economy.

Christopher Huhne: The UK low carbon and environmental goods and services sector rose to £112 billion in 2008-09—an annual increase of 4.3% on 2007-08. And:
	the Green Deal will lever billions of pounds of private investment to improve energy efficiency;
	the Renewable Heat Incentive will help a more-than-tenfold increase of renewable heat over the coming decade;
	and the Green Investment Bank where we have provided £3 billion to steer new sources of capital towards low-carbon projects.

Carbon Emissions

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent changes have been made to the Carbon Reduction Commitment; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Member to the written statement on the simplification of the CRC energy efficiency scheme that I laid before the House on 30 June, Official Report, columns 62-63WS.

Departmental Official Cars

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the cost to his Department was of the provision of ministerial cars in each financial year between its inception and 2010-11; how many (a) cars for the exclusive use of Ministers and (b) ministerial car journeys were paid for by his Department in each such year; what the average cost to his Department of a ministerial car journey was in each such year; and what steps his Department has taken to reduce the cost of ministerial cars since his appointment.

Gregory Barker: DECC was created on 3 October 2008.
	Information relating to the cost and number of ministerial cars is published in an annual written ministerial statement, details of which can be found within the Libraries of both Houses. Links to the details are shown as follows.
	2008/09:
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090716/wmstext/90716m0009.htm
	2009/10:
	http://www2.dft.gov.uk/press/speechesstatements/statements/hammond20101028a.html
	Details of the costs for 2010-11 are currently being complied and are due for release later this month.
	DECC cancelled its contract with the Government Car Service with effect from 2 September 2010 and no cars or drivers are allocated to its Ministers.
	Information relating to individual ministerial car journeys prior to September 2010 is not available as there was no requirement to collect these data. Information relating to the number of ministerial car journeys made since the introduction of the ‘on demand’ ministerial car service on 6 September until 31 March is detailed in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of journeys 
			 2010  
			 September 30 
			 October 23 
			 November 37 
			 December 23 
			 2011  
			 January 46 
			 February 43 
			 March 57 
			   
			 Total 259

Departmental Responsibilities

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on how many occasions a request for a meeting by an hon. Member of each political party has been refused by (a) a Minister in his Department directly and (b) his Department on behalf of a Minister since May 2010.

Gregory Barker: DECC Ministers make every effort to meet hon. and right hon. Members from all parties who wish to meet them. The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Community Energy Saving Programme

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what financial penalties will be imposed on energy supply companies who do not meet their obligations under the Community Energy Saving programme.

Gregory Barker: Ofgem, as the administrator of the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP), is able to enforce what is termed a “relevant requirement” by imposing a penalty of up to 10% of an offending energy company's global turnover. Any enforcement action can be expected to be proportionate to the contravention of the relevant requirement.

Community Energy Saving Programme

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps Ofgem is taking in respect of distribution of Community Energy Saving programme projects (a) between and (b) within regions.

Gregory Barker: There are around 4,500 Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) eligible areas throughout Great Britain. Within these defined areas, companies with a CESP obligation are free to choose where they deliver CESP schemes. They are not subject to any regional targets under the legislation.
	Ofgem as the administrator of CESP is responsible for ensuring companies meet their overall CESP obligations. Ofgem publishes an annual report on CESP progress, including information on the regional distribution of schemes.

Community Energy Saving Programme

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he has any plans to extend the Community Energy Saving programme beyond the poorest 10 per cent. of local super output areas.

Gregory Barker: The Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) is available to households in the lowest 10% of the Indices of Multiple Deprivation lower super output areas (LSOA) in England and the lowest 15% in Wales. In Scotland eligibility is based on the lowest 15% Data Zones.
	These criteria are set out in the legislation governing the scheme, and there are no plans to amend that legislation.

Energy: Housing

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps Ofgem plans to take to increase private sector housing participation in the Community Energy Saving programme.

Gregory Barker: There are around 4,500 Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) eligible areas throughout Great Britain. These areas include housing of a variety of types of tenure, including private sector housing. Within these defined areas companies with CESP obligations are free to choose the dwellings supported.
	Ofgem, as the administrator of CESP, ensure companies meet their overall obligations but does not have a role in targeting schemes or promoting particular tenures.

Energy: Housing

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he is taking as part of the Community Energy Support programme to maintain the requirement to favour whole house solutions.

Gregory Barker: The Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) seeks to promote whole house retrofits of properties by rewarding obligated parties with a bonus, of extra carbon savings against their target, where they deliver multiple measures in the same property. This approach is set out in the legislation governing the scheme, and there are no plans to amend that legislation.
	Scheme proposals from the energy companies indicate that in the vast majority of cases a whole house approach is planned.

Energy: Housing

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 27 July 2010, Official Report, column 885W, on housing: energy, and to the contribution by the Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change of 10 May 2011, Official Report, column 1098, when he plans to publish the outstanding annual progress report under the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA) requires the Secretary of State to report from time to time on progress made by energy conservation authorities in implementing measures set out in their reports.
	The forthcoming Green Deal will fundamentally change the landscape for improving household energy efficiency and we will work with local government to revitalise HECA, including developing a fresh and light touch approach to reporting, consistent with the Government's localism agenda. We will publish a progress report after the launch of the Green Deal.

Energy: USA

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the monetary value was of each trade deal attributable to his Department's green trade mission to the United States in 2011; and which US and UK companies were involved in each deal.

Gregory Barker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Luciana Berger) on 26 April 2011, Official Report, column 58W.

Energy: USA

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has for green trade missions to (a) the USA and (b) any other country in the next 12 months.

Gregory Barker: We expect further green trade missions in the future, to build on the success of the first, but I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree (Luciana Berger) on 26 April 2011, Official Report, column 59W.

Feed-in Tariffs

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 20 June 2011, Official Report, column 130W, on solar power, how many (a) installations and (b) megawatts of installed capacity there were in each month of operation of the GB feed-in-tariffs scheme.

Gregory Barker: The following table shows the number of solar photovoltaic installations and the amount of installed capacity confirmed on the feed in tariff scheme at the end of each month of operation.
	
		
			 End of: Number of solar photovoltaic installations Solar photovoltaic installed capacity (MW) 
			 April 2010 406 0.98 
			 May 2010 1,297 3.15 
			 June 2010 2,700 6.67 
			 July 2010 4,449 11.24 
			 August 2010 8,083 19.96 
			 September 2010 10,513 26.27 
			 October 2010 12,860 32.80 
			 November 2010 15,126 39.09 
			 December 2010 17,191 44.90 
			 January 2011 20,468 54.06 
			 February 2011 23,884 64.04 
			 March 2011 28,505 77.85 
			 April 2011 32,208 88.39 
			 May 2011 37,633 104.75 
			 June 2011 43,140 121.60 
		
	
	Data from DECC's feed in tariff capacity: monthly update, available at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/energy_stats/source/electricity/electricity.aspx

Fukushima

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 21 June 2011, Official Report, column 5WS, on Fukushima (Interim Report), what resources will be committed to the review of the Japanese response to the Fukushima emergency to identify lessons for UK public contingency planning for widespread emergencies; and whether he expects to engage independent experts to assist in the review.

Charles Hendry: The Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Cabinet Office are currently considering what Government resources will be committed to the review of the Japanese response to the Fukushima emergency, including possible engagement with independent experts. This review was recommended by the Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations in his interim report on the implications for the UK nuclear industry of the Fukushima incident (the ‘Weightman Report’). The Office for Nuclear Regulation's costs in preparing the Weightman Report have been met from its existing budget, which is largely recovered from industry.
	The Nuclear Emergency Planning Liaison Group (NEPLG) will play an important role in the Government's response to the events at Fukushima. The group, which is resourced by Departments and agencies nationally, is currently reviewing the capacity and capability of the UK's nuclear emergency response arrangements to effectively manage a prolonged nuclear emergency, caused by a UK or overseas incident. The NEPLG is a national forum, which brings together organisations with an interest in off-site planning for an emergency at civil nuclear sites, including licensed site operators, and representatives from local authorities and the emergency services. Under its terms of reference, the group agrees improvements in planning, procedure and organisation which might form a framework of advice to nuclear operators, the emergency services and those other organisations that may be involved in the response to a nuclear emergency.

Green Deal Scheme

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) his officials have had with the Behavioural Insights Team at the Cabinet Office to discuss the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: DECC officials have worked closely with the Cabinet Office Behavioural Insights Team and officials from other Departments in preparation of the Behaviour Change and Energy Use report, which was launched on 6 July. The Under-Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my noble Friend Lord Marland, has met the team to discuss certain elements of the report relating to the design of energy performance certificates.

Green Deal Scheme

Meg Hillier: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will outline his proposals for incentives for consumers to take up the Green Deal; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: The Green Deal framework will allow providers to develop their own approaches for encouraging demand. The Government published a Behavioural Change and Energy Use report on 6 July which includes details of a number of trials to test the impact of different incentives, and the findings will inform providers. The 2011 Budget also confirmed the Government's commitment to act to incentivise and encourage take-up of the Green Deal and DECC will work with HM Treasury and other Departments to consider possible options.

Radiation

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change who the members are of the technical co-ordination group created to consider how the results of national radiation monitoring are to be collated and communicated to the public; and what relevant experience and expertise each such member has.

Charles Hendry: The technical co-ordination group's role is to look at how information collected by the national radiation monitoring network and nuclear emergency response system (RIMNET) and other radiation monitoring capabilities can best be made accessible to the public.
	The group is made up of representatives from a number of Departments and agencies each with a role in radiation monitoring. Core member organisations are the Department of Energy and Climate Change, Environment Agency, Met Office, RIMNET, GO Science, Food Standards Agency, Health Protection Agency, The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). Other organisations, such as the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), may be invited to attend meetings on an ad hoc basis as appropriate. Relevant individuals will be drawn from these organisations to participate in the group's meetings based on their expertise and the agenda for discussion. Thus, the group's membership varies depending on the specific issues subject to its consideration at any given time.

Renewable Energy

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the UK's capacity to generate 15 per cent. of energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Gregory Barker: The UK has a binding target under the renewable energy directive to produce 15% of its energy from renewable sources across the electricity, heat and transport sectors by 2020. This includes a target of 10% renewable energy in transport by 2020.
	The National Renewable Energy Action Plan, published by DECC in July 2010, provides details on a set of measures that would enable the UK to meet its 2020 target. It sets out the 'lead scenario' which demonstrates that it is possible to achieve the 15% target, and also provides one view of the technology mix in 2020.
	More recently, we have published updated renewable heat analysis(1) and on renewable electricity (by Arup(2)).
	(1) “Renewable Heat Incentive Impact Assessment” (DECC, March 2011)
	(2) “Review of the generation costs and deployment potential of renewable electricity technologies in the UK”

Social Rented Housing: Energy

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with local authorities on steps to improve the energy efficiency of local authority-owned housing stock.

Gregory Barker: I am actively engaging local authorities on this issue, including on how the sector can get involved with the forthcoming Green Deal, our new programme to improve the energy efficiency of the housing stock.
	For example, in addition to the Big Society event I hosted last month, this month I am holding a breakfast for social housing providers, including local authorities.

Solar Power: Housing

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2011, Official Report, column 341W, on solar power: housing, whether he has received any representations from the solar photovoltaic sector on regulations for the installation of solar photovoltaics in domestic properties.

Gregory Barker: DECC Ministers meet regularly with industry representatives to discuss a range of issues. It has been the practice of successive Administrations not to reveal details of such meetings.

Solar Power: Housing

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2011, Official Report, column 1071W, on solar power: housing, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on whether local councils are implementing correctly planning regulations for the installation of solar photovoltaics on domestic properties.

Gregory Barker: DECC Ministers meet regularly with their counterparts from the Department for Communities and Local Government and other Government Departments to discuss a range of issues. It has been the practice of successive Administrations not to reveal details of such meetings.

Utilities: Competition

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on levels of competition between domestic energy suppliers.

Charles Hendry: DECC Ministers and officials meet with officials and Ministers of other Government Departments on a regular basis to discuss energy market issues.
	The energy regulator Ofgem monitors the market closely.
	In their retail market review, Ofgem did not find evidence of a cartel among the Big 6 energy suppliers, but identified a number of barriers to competition. They have recently consulted on proposals to tackle the issues identified.
	DECC is cutting red tape for smaller suppliers to boost competition in retail energy markets.

Visits Abroad: Saudi Arabia

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the purpose was of the visit by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to Saudi Arabia in May 2011.

Henry Bellingham: I have been asked to reply.
	The purpose of the visit was to reinforce the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Gulf Initiative, both at the political and economic levels, to hold discussions on oil price and Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries issues, and to open discussions on commercial opportunities and investment projects in relation to the Gulf States. The visit to Saudi Arabia was part of a three-day visit to the region which also took in the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi and Kuwait.

Visits Abroad: Saudi Arabia

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will place in the Library the schedule of the visit by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to Saudi Arabia in May 2011.

Henry Bellingham: I have been asked to reply.
	The travel plans of Ministers are not for public disclosure for security reasons.

Visits Abroad: Saudi Arabia

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what costs were incurred in each category of expenditure for the visit by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to Saudi Arabia in May 2011.

Henry Bellingham: I have been asked to reply.
	Flight costs were £3734.62 and were met from UK Trade and Investment's budget. The Under-Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my noble Friend Lord Marland, stayed at the residence of the UK ambassador in Riyadh which meant that no accommodation costs were incurred. Lord Marland does not receive a ministerial salary.

Visits Abroad: Saudi Arabia

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the outcomes were of the visit by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to Saudi Arabia in May 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Henry Bellingham: I have been asked to reply.
	The Under-Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change my noble Friend Lord Marland's visit strengthened producer-consumer dialogue on a wide range of energy issues, including oil and gas market evolution and nuclear projects. He opened talks on potential major commercial deals, and reported back to Government on new commercial opportunities. He was also able to inform major Gulf investors about key UK inward investment opportunities which have laid essential groundwork for his future follow-up visit with a trade and investment delegation in his capacity as chairman of the ambassadors' network.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding from the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (a) has been and (b) will be used to pay health sector workers' salaries.

Andrew Mitchell: In 2009-10, the Department for International Development (DFID) contributed £60 million to the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), of which £3.6 million went nominally to the health sector to help the Government of Afghanistan pay the salaries of health workers and other health-related recurrent costs. It is not possible to disaggregate recurrent expenditure on health workers alone without incurring disproportionate costs.
	In the absence of an IMF programme, used by the international community as an indicator of sound economic and financial management, DFID is delaying payment to the ARTF.

Developing Countries: Agriculture

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans his Department has to support smallholder agriculture following the end of disbursements under the L'Aquila Food Security Initiative in 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development supports smallholders in many ways. Over the next four years, the Department will spend an average of £65 million annually on agricultural research, most of which is intended to benefit smallholders. Key multilateral partners such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development, The Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Programme, but also the European Commission and its Humanitarian Department provide significant support to smallholders. Almost half of the programmes in our 27 bilateral focus countries prioritise support to smallholders. Our Africa regional programme also supports marketing and trade for African smallholders.

Developing Countries: Maternity Services

Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress his Department has made on its plans to reduce maternal mortality rates in the developing world by 2015.

Andrew Mitchell: The Government's ‘Choices for women’ Framework for Results outlines how the UK will save the lives of at least 50,000 women during pregnancy and childbirth and 250,000 newborn babies by 2015. The framework has a focus on increasing access to skilled health workers and commits to supporting at least two million safe deliveries and ensuring long-lasting improvements in maternity services.
	Department for International Development (DFID) country programmes have been finalising their operational plans for the next four years which will contribute to the Framework for Results commitments These plans are now available on the DFID website:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/Media-Room/Publications/?p=OP

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to help reduce stigma and discrimination in respect of tuberculosis in developing countries.

Stephen O'Brien: It is crucial that we work with others to address stigma, discrimination and the exclusion of key populations. These are barriers which hamper people from accessing life-saving prevention and treatment. The coalition Government work to address these barriers through our bilateral and multilateral support to combat tuberculosis (TB). For example, in advance of its 11th funding round, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), which is the largest single provider of international funds to fight TB, issued guidance on taking a rights based approach to the design of TB programmes. It also recommends that countries specifically consider activities and programmes to reduce stigma and discrimination in their TB proposals.

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of progress towards meeting UN Millennium Development Goal 6 on tuberculosis; and whether he expects the 2015 targets to be met.

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the progress towards UN Millennium Development Goal 6 on tuberculosis; and whether he expects the objectives to be met by the 2015 deadline.

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of progress in relation to UN Millennium Development Goal 6 to halt and begin to reverse the tuberculosis endemic and to halve TB prevalence and death rates by 2015 compared with 1990 levels.

Stephen O'Brien: Significant progress has been made since 1995, with 41 million patients successfully treated under DOTS resulting in 6 million lives saved. Globally, rates of incidence, prevalence and mortality are declining. Incidence rates are falling slowly by 1% a year, following a peak at 140 cases per 100,000 population (2004). Mortality rates have fallen by one third since 1990, and prevalence rates are also in decline. WHO projections indicate that the target of halving mortality by 2015 compared with 1990 would be achieved at global level.
	The target of halving prevalence by 2015 may present challenges at the global level due to slower than expected progress in the African and South East Asian regions. Halving of prevalence has already been achieved in the Americas. WHO projections suggest that the Western Pacific, and the Eastern Mediterranean are on track. The European Region may achieve the target by 2015.

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to encourage industrial development of (a) diagnostics, (b) drugs and (c) vaccines for tuberculosis; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of these steps.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) is supporting a number of product development partnerships to encourage industrial development of new diagnostics, drugs and vaccines for tuberculosis. This includes support to the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND); the Global Alliance for TB Drugs; and the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation. These initiatives are making progress. For instance, FIND has helped develop a new diagnostic for rapid detection of TB (‘GenXpert'). This may help shorten the time to diagnosis and cut transmission, thus preventing new cases in future. FIND are also working on how they can adapt these tools for use in more peripheral settings.

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department plans to take to promote implementation and delivery of (a) diagnostics, (b) drugs and (c) vaccines for tuberculosis.

Stephen O'Brien: The coalition Government remain committed to supporting global efforts to halve tuberculosis deaths by 2015, as highlighted in ‘UK aid: Changing lives, delivering results’. In support of this objective, and to help to drive progress towards zero HIV infections and deaths by 2015, scaling up access to tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis, treatment care and support is a strategic priority in the coalition Government's recently launched ‘Towards zero infections: The UK's position paper on HIV in the developing world’.
	We support prevention, diagnosis and treatment of TB through our bilateral and multilateral support. This is done particularly through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which is the largest single provider of international funds to fight TB, including TB-HIV, and through supporting co-ordinated action through the Stop TB Partnership. We also invest in research and product development into more effective treatment and vaccines; we support countries to strengthen health systems to deliver quality TB programmes; and we work with our partners to tackle the risk factors for TB, including poverty and malnutrition.

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the potential contribution of improved drugs, vaccines and diagnostics on rates of tuberculosis in developing countries.

Stephen O'Brien: The contribution of new drugs and technologies on the levels of tuberculosis (TB) in developing countries could be significant, but there are limitations. While most TB patients can be cured with present drug regimens, the 2050 elimination target is far more likely to be achieved with a combination of improved diagnostics, drugs and vaccines that can detect and treat both latent TB infection and active disease. Recent modelling for the WHO has suggested that a combination of a neonatal pre-exposure TB vaccine, a two-month treatment regimen effective against drug-susceptible and resistant strains of TB, and a novel point-of-care diagnostic test could potentially reduce the incidence of TB by 71%. There are however questions remaining about the effect of these in high HIV prevalent areas.

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to help reduce stigma and discrimination in relation to tuberculosis in developing countries.

Stephen O'Brien: It is crucial that we work with others to address stigma, discrimination and the exclusion of key populations. These are barriers which hamper people from accessing life saving prevention and treatment. The coalition Government work to address these barriers through our bilateral and multilateral support to combat tuberculosis (TB). For example, in advance of its 11th funding round, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), which is the largest single provider of international funds to fight TB, issued guidance on taking a rights based approach to the design of TB programmes. It also recommends that countries specifically consider activities and programmes to reduce stigma and discrimination in their TB proposals.

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to encourage industrial development of (a) diagnostics, (b) drugs and (c) vaccines for tuberculosis; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of such steps.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) is supporting a number of product development partnerships to encourage industrial development of new diagnostics, drugs and vaccines for tuberculosis. This includes support to the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), the Global Alliance for TB Drugs; and the Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation. These initiatives are making progress. For instance, FIND has helped develop a new diagnostic for rapid detection of TB (‘GenXpert’). This may help shorten the time to diagnosis and cut transmission, thus preventing new cases in future. FIND are also working on how they can adapt these tools for use in more peripheral settings.

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans his Department has to help ensure effective implementation and delivery of (a) diagnostics, (b) drugs and (c) vaccines for tuberculosis.

Stephen O'Brien: The coalition Government remain committed to supporting global efforts to halve tuberculosis deaths by 2015, as highlighted in “UK aid: Changing lives, delivering results”. In support of this objective, and to help to drive progress towards zero HIV infections and deaths by 2015, scaling up access to tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis, treatment care and support is a strategic priority in the coalition Government's recently launched “Towards zero infections: The UK's position paper on HIV in the developing world”.
	We support prevention, diagnosis and treatment of TB through our bilateral and multilateral support. This is done particularly through the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which is the largest single provider of international funds to fight TB, including TB-HIV, and through supporting coordinated action through the Stop TB Partnership. We also invest in research and product development into more effective treatment and vaccines; we support countries to strengthen health systems to deliver quality TB programmes; and we work with our partners to tackle the risk factors for TB, including poverty and malnutrition.

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the potential contribution of improved drugs, vaccines and diagnostics on rates of tuberculosis in developing countries.

Stephen O'Brien: The contribution of new drugs and technologies on the levels of tuberculosis (TB) in developing countries could be significant, but there are limitations. While most TB patients can be cured with present drug regimens, the 2050 elimination target is far more likely to be achieved with a combination of improved diagnostics, drugs and vaccines that can detect and treat both latent TB infection and active disease. Recent modelling for the WHO has suggested that a combination of a neonatal pre-exposure TB vaccine, a two-month treatment regimen effective against drug-susceptible and resistant strains of TB, and a novel point-of-care diagnostic test could potentially reduce the incidence of TB by 71%. There are however questions remaining about the effect of these in high HIV prevalent areas.

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department provided for research and development of (a) diagnostics, (b) drugs and (c) vaccines for tuberculosis in developing countries in each of the last five years.

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department provided for research and development of (a) diagnostics, (b) drugs and (c) vaccines for tuberculosis in each of the last five years.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) is supporting a range of research programmes to promote the development of new diagnostics, drugs and vaccines for tuberculosis (TB). These include: the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), the Global Alliance for TB Drugs, and the Aeras Global T6 Vaccine Foundation. Funding amounts for the last five years are provided in the following table.
	
		
			 DFID funding 
			 £ 
			  FIND Aeras Global Alliance for TB Drugs Total 
			 2010-11 500,000 5,500,000 7,313,616 13,313,616 
			 2009-10 1,500,000 4,000,000 5,686,384 11,186,384 
			 2008-09 0 0 3,900,000 3,900,000 
			 2007-08 0 0 900,000 900,000 
			 2006-07 0 0 1,800,000 1,800,000 
			 Total 2,000,000 9,500,000 19,600,000 31,100,000

Developing Countries: Tuberculosis

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to address stigma and discrimination in developing countries in relation to tuberculosis.

Stephen O'Brien: It is crucial that we work with others to address stigma, discrimination and the exclusion of key populations. These are barriers which hamper people from accessing life saving prevention and treatment. The coalition Government work to address these barriers through our bilateral and multilateral support to combat tuberculosis (TB). For example, in advance of its 11th funding round, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), which is the largest single provider of international funds to fight TB, issued guidance on taking a rights based approach to the design of TB programmes. It also recommends that countries specifically consider activities and programmes to reduce stigma and discrimination in their TB proposals.

Ethiopia: Droughts

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans his Department has to respond to the drought in Ethiopia.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK Government are providing significant funding for the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) in Ethiopia to help feed 1.3 million people for three months, and to provide nutritional supplements for 329,000 malnourished children and pregnant and breastfeeding women.
	We are also supporting an innovative safety net programme in Ethiopia to help increase resilience to drought and hunger in the longer term. With UK support, 7.8 million people in Ethiopia have access to cash or food in exchange for work, through the Productive Safety Net Programme. Department for International Development (DFID) funding is also helping create 60,000 new jobs that are not dependent on rain-fed agriculture.

Horn of Africa: Food

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department is taking steps to increase food security in the Horn of Africa.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) is making long-term investments in safety net, disaster risk reduction and wealth creation programmes that aim to increase food security in the Horn of Africa.
	In Ethiopia we are supporting 7.8 million people with cash and food aid transfers through the National Safety Net Programme which provides cash or food in return for work. We are also supporting a programme to create 60,000 new jobs that are not dependent on rain-fed agriculture.
	In Kenya DFID is funding a hunger safety net programme which makes regular cash payments to 60,000 of the poorest households. Monitoring suggests that those receiving these payments are significantly more resilient to the current drought than others living in these regions.
	In Somalia, my Department is currently supporting pastoralists and farmers to strengthen their resilience through emergency livelihood protection activities. We are also supporting a four-year wealth creation programme which aims to improve economic and employment prospects for women and young people in Somalia. It aims to create 45,000 long-term jobs by 2015.

Horn of Africa: Politics and Government

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the effects on (a) women and (b) children of the humanitarian situation in the Horn of Africa.

Andrew Mitchell: We estimate that around 10 million people in the Horn of Africa are currently in need of emergency relief. About half of those are in Ethiopia, and the other half split between Kenya and Somalia. A large proportion of those in need are women and children. Nutritional surveys in southern and south eastern parts of the region indicate prevailing rates of malnutrition above emergency thresholds. The situation in the Somali refugee camps is especially concerning. Acute child malnutrition among new arrivals to camps in Kenya and Ethiopia is running at 33-40%, more than double emergency levels.
	The UK's humanitarian response to the crisis is specifically targeting women and children. Our new contribution to the World Food Programme in Ethiopia will help ensure that 329,000 malnourished children and pregnant and lactating mothers receive supplementary food. Ongoing UK support to Kenya and Somalia since October 2010 has been used to treat acute malnutrition in more than 140,000 children and 17,500 pregnant and breastfeeding mothers.

Kenya: Refugees

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the refugee situation in Kenya in light of the drought in the Horn of Africa; and whether his Department is providing support to respond to the situation in those refugee camps.

Andrew Mitchell: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reports there are now more than 394,000 Somali refugees in Kenya. The situation is now an emergency in the Dadaab refugee camps, with 1,300 new arrivals reported daily in the last two weeks. Congestion and conditions remain unacceptable. UNHCR and other agencies have absorbed this ongoing influx and continue to provide some minimum services. These are now severely stretched and needs are not being fully met.
	The UK provided £2 million to UNHCR during 2010-11, to meet the basic relief needs of 20,000 refugees. Given the deteriorating situation, we are in the process of increasing this support in 2011.

Sierra Leone: Health Services

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what outcomes he expects from his Department's support for health sector salaries in Sierra Leone.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK is supporting the delivery of the Free Health Care Initiative for pregnant and nursing women and children under five years old which was launched by the President of Sierra Leone in April 2010. The purpose of the UK's support is to reduce maternal and child mortality in Sierra Leone which is among the worst in the world.
	The support to health workers salaries has both retained and increased the number of health personnel in the public health sector which is better able to manage the increase in demand for services as a result of the Free Health Care Initiative. The aim of the Initiative is to provide free health services for up to 460,000 women and 1 million children each year. After its first year of operation there has been solid progress with 1,993,000 additional under five consultations of which 1,160,000 were treated for malaria; 39,100 more women delivered their babies in a health facility; and 12,000 maternity complications were managed in health facilities with a 60% drop in the fatality rate in these cases.

Sierra Leone: Health Services

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that health workers are deployed to the parts of Sierra Leone in greatest need.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK is supporting the delivery of the Free Health Care Initiative for pregnant and nursing women and children under five years old which was launched by the President of Sierra Leone in April 2010. The purpose of the UK's support is to reduce maternal and child mortality in Sierra Leone which is among the worst in the world.
	As a result of the UK's support over 2,000 additional health workers were recruited in 2010 to help meet the increased demand for services across the country including those areas in greatest need. To date we have provided technical expertise to work closely with the Human Resources Department of the Ministry of Health to develop a robust national human resources policy and strategy to address the challenges of coverage and spread in the medium to long term. In the short term the World Bank has this year introduced a programme to incentivise personnel working in the rural areas of the country. We are collaborating closely with the World Bank on this programme to ensure health workers in the rural areas remain in post.

Sierra Leone: Health Services

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many additional doctors, nurses, midwives and other health workers he expects (a) to be required and (b) his Department to fund in Sierra Leone in order to reach the targets on maternal mortality and assisted births set out in his Department's operational plan for that country.

Andrew Mitchell: The UK is supporting the delivery of the Free Health Care Initiative for pregnant and nursing women and children under five years old which was launched by the President of Sierra Leone in April 2010. The purpose of the UK's support is to reduce maternal and child mortality in Sierra Leone which is among the worst in the world.
	The UK has provided the Human Resources Department of the Ministry of Health with specialised technical support so that it can carry out an in-depth analysis of the staffing they currently have, what staffing they should have as a minimum in light of the size of population, and how they intend filling the staffing gap. This will then result in a clear strategy by the end of this year which maps out the numbers and mix of skills they need in the medium to long term, how they intend putting these in place and what resources are available to enable them to implement the strategy. The UK will work closely with the Ministry of Health and non-governmental partners to ensure UK resources are targeted at the priority skills needed to address maternal health and assisted births.

Somalia: Droughts

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans his Department has to respond to the drought in Somalia.

Andrew Mitchell: My Department is already supporting ongoing activities in Somalia that are reaching more than 1.3 million vulnerable people this year with emergency relief assistance. This includes treatment of starving children, access to health care, essential vaccinations, water, sanitation, food assistance, shelter and activities to protect the livelihoods of pastoralists and farmers.
	My officials are identifying priority activities and partners who are best placed to respond rapidly to the deteriorating situation. My Department is working with other donors to support humanitarian agencies increase their current emergency response.